Middle Grade Review: The Taylors

 

Four girls meet in middle school (5th grade). Each of them is named Taylor - named our course after the greatest singer ever! Three of them have nicknames: Teffy, Tay-Tay, and TS. They bond over their love for their namesake. 

Soon, they start hanging out and quickly become a foursome. They desperately want to attend the ERAS tour when it comes to town, but the tickets are outrageously expensive. They start a friendship bracelet making business in hopes to raise enough money. The Taylors make a pact to go tother or not at all. Will their biggest wish come true?

My Thoughts: This is the first in a new series about these four best friends. I love how they came together in their own little meet-cute. I love how they start connecting and supporting each other. They help each other become better. There are some mean girl moments, lots of friendship drama, lots of Taylor Swift references, and many school moments. I love how everything tuned out for these friends. 

And the books continue with the girls four years later as they start high school:

Cover Thoughts: Adorable!

Source: My Library

Why I Read This: Taylor Swift and friendship and Jen Calonita 

Give this to: Readers who love Taylor Swift and friendship drama

Library Recommendation: A must have book in your school and public library for all our Swiftie Readers!

Picture Book Review: Winter Solstice Wish

 

It's officially winter now!

On the shortest day of the year, people come together to celebrate and make a wish. 

This is a lovely story with great illustrations.

Do you have a wish for the solstice?

TBR Check-in: Fall Books

Read:

Currently Reading:

Not Read Yet, but Checked out from the Library:

 

 

How did you do with your TBR list? 

In the Footsteps of Jane Austen

I spent a semester in Bath England, during which I got to see some amazing sights:

In Bath: 

1. The Assembly Rooms where Jane Austen danced (top right) and the fashion museum

2. The Pump Room where people would go to "drink" the water and be seen

3. The streets where she would walk and shop

4. The Roman Baths

5. The Jane Austen Museum

6. The Royal Crescent and the Circus 

7. Bath Abbey 

8. Sally Lunn's Buns

I wasn't as adventurous as I should have been and I'm hoping to travel back there soon.

There was also an outbreak of foot and mouth while I was there, so some places were off limits. 

Chawton Cottage (bottom left)

I saw the famous small desk and chair where she wrote

2. The Gardens (middle right)

Winchester:

The outside of the house where she died (see pictured above bottom right). It's a private home.

The Cathedral where she's buried and where there's a floor slab dedicated to her

First Edition:

The middle picture happened a few years later, that's a first edition of Pride and Prejudice. 

Places to see before I die:

Chatsworth 

Lyme-Regis and that staircase

The Peak District 

Steventon 

Top Ten: Jane Austen Books I Want to Read

Happy 250th Birthday Jane Austen!

 Here are 10 retellings that I want to read:

Time travel back to Jane Austen's time - adult

YA Pride and Prejudice: with Georgiana Darcy

YA retelling of Sense and Sensibility 

Modern Adult Pride and Prejudice

YA retelling of Pride and Prejudice 

Modern Adult Persuasion 

Modern Emma retelling  

Historical mystery with Pride and Prejudice 

Nonfiction: celebrating her life

Authors who influenced Jane Austen

Places in Jane Austen's world

A bit older, but a travel guide to Jane Austen's England. 

Have you read any of these? Do you have other suggestions for me?

Jane Austen Movies

 Jane Austen Movies that I adore:

Pride & Prejudice

Obviously, both of these adaptations - I honestly love them both. 

This was fantastic

A modern classic

Emma:

Clueless: a modern classic

* I like the newest one, but I don't love it like I do these ones.

Another modern adaption.

Persuasion:

I do love the scenery in Bath. To be honest, it's been years since I've seen either of these. But I do remember enjoying them.

Sense and Sensibility:

I am looking forward to the new Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility projects

Did I miss any of your favorites? Any I should add to my watch list?

Christmas Picture Books Reviews: (4)

 

The third week of Christmas picture books:

The chicken is super excited to attend the Nutcracker and is bringing their tutu and ballet shoes. The chicken promises to be on their best behavior. But it's hard....

This is a very funny story of what happens when things do not go according to plan.

* This is part of a series

On the night before Christmas, a train leaves and travels through a winter wonderland until it reaches the North Pole. 

A fantastical train ride through winter with charming illustrations. 

One little girl is SO excited for Christmas. She can't help but be spirited. 

I loved this book - it's funny and sweet and clever. There MAY be such a thing as too many times Jingle Bells has been sung. I hope there is a sequel coming. 

Unicorn and Kitty know they both love Christmas and they always agree...don't they?

This is a story of holiday traditions and friendship and having the perfect Christmas together. 

The trucks are getting ready for Christmas and decorating the whole town. But what happens when they run out of decorations before they get to the tree?

With a little help from some friends, the trucks understand that somethings are best when they are simple. There are pages on how to decorate like the trucks. 

Dasher meets a polar bear named George. George is impressed that Dasher can fly. He longs to have some Christmas magic too. 

This is a charming story about magic and the holiday Spirit. Things don't always work out the way one thinks, but it does work out. I love these books. I hope there are more in this series planned. I illustrations are amazing. 

Pepe is celebrating with his community at the holiday festival.

I love how the town square has food and decor from so many Hispanic cultures. The festival looks like so much fun; I love how everyone comes together to celebrate. There's a glossary, author's note, and sources written at the end of the book.