Tag Archives: Reading

02.04.19
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Writing Prompt #168: The ABC Book Challenge (The Letter R)

ABC Book Challenge - G

Memorable Books that Start with the Letter “R”:

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Ramona Quimby, Age 8

  • I devoured every title that Beverly Cleary wrote! I particularly loved the Ramona series.

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Really True Ruthie

  • Kit’s story is one of my favorites from American Girl, set in 1930s Ohio. I loved this individual story about Ruthie, Kit’s best friend.

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The Red Badge of Courage

  • I first learned about this book from Wishbone! It’s a good historical novel about the Civil War.

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The Rescue

  • I haven’t read this Sparks book in quite a while. Time to re-read it!

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Romeo and Juliet

  • I’ve read this several times. It’s a true classic from Shakespeare.

The Runaway Maryellen

The Runaway: A Maryellen Mystery

  • I love Maryellen’s series, set in 1950s Florida. This particular book was well-written, but a hard read for an animal lover like me!

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The Runaway Jury

  • How can I not list at least one Grisham novel?

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Ryan White: My Own Story

  • I stumbled upon this book at the local library when I was in middle school. I knew who Ryan White was, thanks to an episode of 3-2-1 Contact. But, reading his autobiography was even more powerful. I think I read this book at least five different times between middle school and college. I’m actively trying to get my own copy!

Books I’d Love to Read Starting with the Letter “R”:

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Ready Player One

  • My understanding is the book is vastly different from the movie adaptation (2018), but I’m excited to read it. Once Al finishes it, I’m borrowing his copy!

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Rebecca

  • I’ve heard about this book for years, but haven’t read it myself.

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Revolutionary Road

  • I think I have a copy of this? I haven’t read it, though. I look forward to reading this account of life for a couple in the 1950s.

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The Road

  • Again, another book I’ve heard good things about for a long time, but haven’t read it yet.

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Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian

  • I’m fascinated with true crime, and most anything related to the criminal justice system. This one sounds very interesting!

What books have you read, or want to read, that start with the letter R? Let me know!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

01.29.19
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Tag #71: A to Z Book Tag!

a to z book tag

Image Credit: Howling Libraries

I saw this tag on Destiny’s blog, Howling Libraries!

The tag was was originally created by The Perpetual Page Turner.

Here’s the link to Destiny’s post:

a | author you’ve read the most books from:

  • Ann M. Martin. More than 150 books between The Baby-Sitters Club series, Baby-Sitters Little Sister series, Mysteries, Super Mysteries, and a few others! I also had the Baby-Sitters Club Friendship Kit computer software in the mid-1990s.

b | best sequel ever:

catching_fire

c | currently reading:

Image result for all the missing girls book

d | drink of choice while reading:

  • Nothing. I don’t want to spill anything on my books.

e | e-reader or physical book:

  • My heart lies with physical books! However, I’m not against e-books.

f | fictional character you would’ve dated in high school:

  • Either Ron or Neville from Harry Potter.

g | glad you gave this book a chance:

  • WHO KNEW? … Reflections on Vietnam, J. Holley Watts. A powerful book / memoir of a woman’s service in Vietnam with the Supplemental Recreation Activities Organization (SRAO) program of the American Red Cross.

h | hidden gem book:

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  • Story of a Girl, Sara Zarr. I was assigned to read this in my Young Adult Literature class in the spring of 2011, and I fell in love with it. If I don’t have that copy at this point, I need to buy another one. I want to re-read it and review it here.

i | important moment in your reading life:

Image result for harry potter and the deathly hallows book

  • Finishing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows during the summer of 2008. I wasn’t interested in the series originally, even though a lot of my friends and classmates devoured them the minute the new book came out. However, I caught on quickly, and enjoyed all seven books. Finishing Deathly Hallows was really hard, and I clearly remember not picking up a new book for nearly two weeks that summer. I needed to heal first.

j | just finished:

evicted

k | kind of books you won’t read:

  • Anything that is truly horror, or glorifies abuse (Fifty Shades of Grey, for example).

l | longest book you’ve read:

  • The Bible.

m | major book hangover because of:

  • I don’t think this has happened to me in years. See the letter I for more context.

n | number of bookcases you own:

  • In my house, just one! It’s six-feet-tall, and I love it.

o | one book you’ve read multiple times:

The Great Gatsby - Complex

p | preferred place to read:

  • In bed before going to sleep, or a comfortable couch/chair if I’m reading during the day.

q | quote that inspires you/gave you all the feels from a book:

  • “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” ~ Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird

r | reading regret:

  • I can’t think of one.

s | series you’ve started and need to finish (all books are out):

t | three of your all time favorite books:

Image result for harry potter and the order of the phoenix book

A Walk to Remember (Hardcover).jpg

  1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling
  2. Looking for Alaska, John Green
  3. A Walk to Remember, Nicholas Sparks

u | unapologetic fangirl for:

Pleasant Company Catalogue Holiday 1991

The Smugglers Treasure Cover

  • All of the American Girl books. I started reading them as soon as I could, and I learned a lot about history through these characters. I’ve re-built my childhood collection (Samantha, Felicity, and Kirsten), and added plenty more. I’m also on a quest to own all 22 History Mysteries. Also, I highly recommend The Care and Keeping of You series for girls. There’s a book for boys, too!

v | very excited for this release:

Image result for parkland book

w | worst bookish habits:

  • I buy more books before reading my current stack. I can’t let a good book pass by me.

x | x marks the spot! start at the top left of your bookshelf and pick the 27th book:

The Lady's Slipper

y | your latest book purchase:

Image result for janesville an american story

Image result for mosquitoland book

Image result for the hate u give book

Image result for a sky for us alonebook

  • Last week, I bought four books from Barnes & Noble with a generous gift card from my mom for my birthday last year:
  1. Janesville: An American Story, Amy Goldstein
  2. Mosquitoland, David Arnold
  3. The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas
  4. A Sky for Us Alone, Kristin Russell

z | zzz-snatcher book—last book that kept you up way too late:

  • Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, Matthew Desmond.

Tag – You’re It!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

01.28.19
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Writing Prompt #163: The ABC Book Challenge (The Letter Q)

ABC Book Challenge - F

Memorable Books that Start with the Letter “Q”:

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Quit It

  • I need to re-read this, but I distinctly remember learning about Tourette’s syndrome for this first time because of this YA book.

Books I’d Love to Read Starting with the Letter “Q”:

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Q’s Legacy: A Delightful Account of a Lifelong Love Affair with Books

  • This one looks like pure joy!

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The Quest for Anastasia: Solving the Mystery of the Lost Romanovs

  • I’ve been fascinated with the story of Anastasia and the Romanovs for years!

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Questioning The Millennium

  • I’m really curious about this author’s perspective on the millennium. I remember Y2K – Do you?

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Quidditch Through The Ages

  • I’ve always wanted to read this!

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The Quiet Room: A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness

  • Secretly, I think I would have done well as a psychology major in college, since I enjoy books about people who have gone through journeys with mental illnesses or similar struggles. This one is going near the top of my next TBR.

What books have you read, or want to read, that start with the letter Q? Let me know!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

01.21.19
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Writing Prompt #162: The ABC Book Challenge (The Letter P)

ABC Book Challenge - J 2

Memorable Books that Start with the Letter “P”:

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The Pelican Brief

  • John Grisham is one of my favorite authors. This is one of my all-time favorite books! I’m looking forward to re-reading it soon.
  • Also, I highly recommend the movie adaptation (1993). One of my favorite movies!

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower

  • This is one of the shortest books I think I’ve ever read, but it’s one of the most powerful ones.

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The Phantom Tollbooth

  • I can’t remember if I had to read this for school, but I do remember getting a copy of this from the library. I know I need to re-read it, but it was fascinating years ago.

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The Polar Express

  • As you can probably tell by my Awesome Authors post about Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express is one of my all-time favorite books!
  • Also, if you haven’t seen the movie adaptation (2004), I highly recommend it. I watch it every Christmas!

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PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives

  • I stumbled upon a copy of this book at the library when I was in high school. It was incredible.

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Pride and Prejudice

  • I first learned about this book from Wishbone!
  • I really need to re-read it, but it left a great impression on me.

Books I’d Love to Read Starting with the Letter “P”:

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Party Monster: A Fabulous But True Tale of Murder in Clubland

  • I don’t know what it is, but I really want to read this book. Maybe it’s the true crime angle? Definitely picking this up at either the library or the bookstore ASAP.

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Persuasion

  • I haven’t read everything that Jane Austen wrote. This is going back on my list!

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The Pink Suit

  • Since I love historical fiction, this book seems right up my alley.

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Pretties (Uglies #2)

  • I read Uglies, book 1, in my Young Adult Literature class in the spring of 2011. I’ve wanted to read the rest of the series since then.

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The Princess Bride

  • I love, love, love the movie adaptation (1987), but I’ve never read the book!

What books have you read, or want to read, that start with the letter P? Let me know!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

01.15.19
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Tag #70: Book Blogger Confessions Book Tag

book blogger confessions book tag

Found on Fiction No Chaser

I found this tag on Fiction No Chaser!

Here’s the link to their post:

The Rules

  1. Answer these questions truthfully.
  2. Once you’re done, tag 5 other book bloggers to answer these questions next.

Which book, most recently, did you not finish?

I have to go back into 2018 for a minute. I think it was All The Missing Girls by Megan Miranda. However, at the beginning of January, I picked back up and am enjoying it again.

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Which book is your guilty pleasure?

Pretty much anything written by Nicholas Sparks. I did my college senior thesis on his books. I haven’t read several of his new releases, so I may do that soon.

—

Which book do you love to hate?

I have to agree with Fiction No Chaser here. The Twilight series.

—

Which book would you throw into the sea?

Allegiant by Veronica Roth. I really struggle with multiple POVs in general, but this book drove me nuts! And I was super disappointed, too, since I LOVED and absolutely inhaled Divergent and Insurgent.

—

Which book have you read the most?

It’s a dead-on tie between The Great Gatsby and To Kill A Mockingbird. I re-read both of these every single year.

—

Which book would you hate to receive as a present?

Nothing. I adore books. And I agree with Fiction No Chaser – Worst case, I can give it to someone who wants it.

—

Which book could you not live without?

I just can’t pick just one. If my house were to catch on fire, I would automatically save my hard cover British copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that I got in England on the release day in the summer of 2005, and then my Bibles.

—

Which book made you the angriest?

Can I say Allegiant again? That’s seriously the ONLY BOOK that comes to mind.

—

Which book made you cry the most?

I’m not usually a big crier while reading. But, I agree with Fiction No Chaser. I cried quite a bit while getting through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It took me quite a while to read it and finish it, but there were definite tears. And it took me at least two weeks to pick up another book, and that’s saying something for me.

—

Which book cover do you hate the most?

I loathe book covers that have the movie adaptation characters on them. I refuse to buy them! Nicholas Sparks and John Grisham are two examples.

Tag – You’re It!

  • Kristian at Life Lessons Around The Dinner Table
  • Jenna at Bookmark Your Thoughts
  • Destiny at Howling Libraries
  • Daniel at Page to Page
  • The Electric Contrarian

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

01.14.19
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Writing Prompt #160: The ABC Book Challenge (The Letter O)

The ABC Book Challenge - L

Memorable Books that Start with the Letter “O”:

Onwriting.jpg

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On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

  • This is by far one of my favorite memoirs, and writing craft books. I first found the book on a whim at the library. I loved it so much, I knew I needed my own copy. This book is staying on my bookshelf forever.

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One Hundred Years of Solitude

  • This was a hard book to read and digest in high school, but it was definitely magical.

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The Outsiders

  • I love this book. I read it when I was younger. Then, I re-read it, and fell in love with it. The movie adaptation (1983) is also quite good.

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The Odyssey

  • This was a whole unit in one of my high school English classes. I’d originally learned part of the story from Wishbone.

Books I’d Love to Read Starting with the Letter “O”:

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Of Mice and Men

  • I enjoyed reading Steinbeck in my American Literature class in college. We didn’t read this one then, but I tried after the class ended. I failed. I want to try again, however.

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On the Road

  • I became fascinated with Jack Kerouac, and the other Beat Generation poets, while studying history in high school.

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One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

  • I first learned about this book from Sesame Street! They did a “Monsterpiece Theatre” segment where they were discussing classic literature. A number 1 flew over a cuckoo’s nest.

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Ordinary People

  • I really should read this book. The movie adaptation (1980) is fabulous.

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Our Year of Maybe

What books have you read, or want to read, that start with the letter O? Let me know!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

01.10.19
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Getting Personal #156: Ninth TBR Recap

book quote - good housekeeping

Image Credit: Good Housekeeping

Welcome back!

In case you’re interested, here are the links to my previous TBR posts:

Here’s what I’ve read since my last TBR update:

  1. Laakso, Laura, Fallible Justice (ARC Review)
  2. Watts, J. Holley, WHO KNEW? …Reflections On Vietnam
  3. Block, Lawrence, Small Town
  4. Desmond, Matthew, Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City

Removing from Laura Beth’s TBR:

  1. Arnold, David, Mosquitoland
  2. Calonita, Jen, The Real Z (American Girl: Z Yang, Book 1)
  3. Green, John, Turtles All the Way Down
  4. Hopkins, Ellen, Crank
  5. Shetterly, Margot Lee, Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race
  6. Skloot, Rebecca, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
  7. Summers, Courtney, All the Rage
  8. Teagan, Erin, Luciana
  9. Thomas, Angie, The Hate U Give
  10. Tripp, Valerie, Read All About It: A Kit Classic Volume 1

Removal Rate: 10/14 = 71%

Keep & Re-Classify – Laura Beth’s Updated TBR

  1. Ehrenreich, Barbara, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America *Re-Read*
  2. Ng, Celeste, Everything I Never Told You
  3. Ritter, Krysten, Bonfire
  4. Weldon, Fay, Habits of the House

Keep Rate: 4/14 = 29%

Adding To The TBR

  1. Conley, Garrard, Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith, and Family
  2. Kubica, Mary, Good Girl
  3. McGinnis, Mindy, The Female of the Species
  4. Miranda, Megan, All The Missing Girls
  5. Oviatt, Didi, Search for Maylee
  6. Pon, Cindy, Want
  7. Rowling, J.K., Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone *Re-Read*
  8. Sanderson, Brandon, Mistborn: The Final Empire
  9. Westover, Tara, Educated: A Memoir

So, my current TBR is 13 books.

Do you have a TBR?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

01.07.19
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Writing Prompt #158: The ABC Book Challenge (The Letter N)

The ABC Book Challenge - K

Memorable Books that Start with the Letter “N”:

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Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America

  • I was introduced to Barbara Ehrenreich in my freshman year of college by way of this book. I plan to re-read it soon. It’s a powerful book regarding minimum wage, and how a lot of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, and sometimes not even that.

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Night

  • I first read this book in eighth grade. We were studying the Holocaust, and it left a profound impact on me. Everyone should read this book.

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Nineteen Eighty-Four

  • This book creeped me out for quite a while. However, I feel the need to read it again soon.

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November Blues (Jericho #2)

  • I really like and enjoy Sharon M. Draper’s books. I’ve gained a greater perspective of African-African teenagers through her fiction. The Jericho trilogy is one of my favorites.

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Number The Stars

  • I was assigned this book in fifth grade. Originally, I really struggled with this book. It was one of the first times that I read so fast that my comprehension suffered. Through this book, I learned to slow down in my reading, especially assigned books, and my comprehension improved. Also, Lois Lowry is one of my favorite authors!

Books I’d Love to Read Starting with the Letter “N”:

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The Night Circus

  • I’ve wanted to read this book for several years. The author wrote this book during NaNoWriMo!

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North and South

  • I’m part of a Facebook group called The Book Drunkard. This book has been recommended to me several times, so I need to find it at the library soon.

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A Northern Light

  • I’ve heard so many good things about this book!

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Northanger Abbey

  • I learned about this book from Wishbone! I know I have a greater appreciation for Jane Austen now than I did years ago.

What books have you read, or want to read, that start with the letter N? Let me know!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

12.30.18
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Book Review #67: “Small Town”

I found this book at a thrift store in Florida in May of this year, for $1.50. Why it took me so long to read it, and finish it, I don’t know. But, overall, I enjoyed this book. Lawrence Block was a new name to me, but what captured my attention was the setting – New York City. I’m a sucker for books set in the Big Apple!

Originally, it took me a while to read more than two chapters per night. Block’s writing is so incredibly detailed, and the cast of characters is extensive. His chapters are meaty, but mighty. I told a group on Facebook that this is a good thriller, but if you’re not a fan of sex, violence, and profanity, I would avoid this book. Those three things are very prevalent in this one!

I liked this book, for the most part. It’s not my favorite thriller in the whole world, but I liked the structure of the story, and how the title is so fitting. Despite several heavy subject matters – It’s set in 2002, so that gives you an idea of the circumstances in New York City – the characters were constantly engaging. Each character was unique. Also, one of the main focuses is on a published author, and seeing the process of a book deal in a fictional story was really cool to see. I enjoyed following the author’s story, and the saga he’s involved with.

I could have seen less graphic sex, and the violence was definitely unsettling. But, it’s a thriller. And Block accomplished that with his writing.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

12.10.18
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Writing Prompt #156: The ABC Book Challenge (The Letter M)

The ABC Book Challenge - L

Memorable Books that Start with the Letter “M”:

Image result for macbeth play book

Macbeth

  • We studied Shakespeare in high school. This one was significant to me.

Madame Bovary 1857 (hi-res).jpg

Madame Bovary

  • I believe this was assigned reading when I was a senior in high school.

the_man_in_the_high_castle_c4

The Man in the High Castle

  • I’d wanted to read this one for quite a while, and finally did in the summer of 2017. It sparked my interest in not only the author, but in alternate reality, as well.

Image result for mansfield park novel

Mansfield Park

  • I need to re-read this, but I’ve read most everything that Jane Austen wrote.

Misty of Chincoteague cover.jpg

Misty of Chincoteague

  • I read this one several times as a kid. I live about three hours from Chincoteague!

Books I’d Love to Read Starting with the Letter “M”:

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M. C. Higgins, the Great

  • I remember seeing this book in the school library, but I’ve never read it.

PKD-The-Minority-Report.png

The Minority Report

  • I knew this short story was adapted into a movie (2002) and a TV series (2015), but I didn’t know until much later that it was written by Philip K. Dick.

Image result for les miserables novel

Les Miserables

  •  Despite having seen the most recent movie adaptation (2012), I’ve never read the novel.

Stephen King Misery cover.jpg

Misery

  • I vaguely remember parts of this book, so I think it deserves a re-read.

TheMosquitoCoastNovel.jpg

The Mosquito Coast

  • I’ve been interested in this novel since I heard about the movie adaptation (1986). I haven’t seen the movie yet, and I don’t plan to until I read the book.

What books have you read, or want to read, that start with the letter M? Let me know!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂