Personal Post: On Flowers and Gardens

The past few weeks have been filled with flowers and gardening.

I'm not a gardener, but I would like to learn.

Last year, I bought a raised bed and planted flowers. It was lovely.

This year, I went:

1. To a plant store with my friends and I bought a violet. I took tons of pictures. You can see some here and here. I'm happy to report the violet is still alive

2.  to the flower and garden show at Epcot and loved their different stations. 

3. to a plant store with my folks and we bought some flowers for their garden.

4. went to a tulip farm and got some flowers

5. to a plant store in town to buy some flowers for my raised bed

6. purchased some flowering bushes and planted those. Plus some sunflowers from my parents. And we went to a plant shop supporting the library where I first started working. 6

I'm not a fan of dirt under my fingernails and I hate wearing gloves because my hands sweat. But I do love flowers, so I just have to deal with the dirt. I don't know much about the different types of flowers, but they are so pretty.

A few photos from the above adventures:

Lilac bush in the back yard

Plants from adventures #3

 

Plants at the garden from #5

My raised bed from #5 this summer

Found flower in the garden from #6

flower beds from #6. I love how they came together. Can't wait to watch them grow.

Are you a flower person or a gardening person? Do you have a favorite flower?

Review: Seyoon and Dean, Unscripted

 

Twenty years ago Dean and Seyoon's parents competed in a wilderness reality TV show. They were both betrayed by one of the friends and lost the show. Now the show is being rebooted with relatives of former contestants. 

When they arrive at the filming site, they have a meet cute moment. They exchange words. Before too long, all the contestants are sent through a course. Seyoon and Dean end up together. She saves him. They both end up making the team after four people are eliminated. Seyoon is the last one to make the competition. 

The contestants are encouraged the team up and form an alliance. It makes sense for Seyoon and Dean to team up given their family histories. But neither of them are prepared for how quickly everything changes. One minute, they are strangers, now teammates, now fake dating to outwit their competition. But will it?

My Thoughts: I love reality TV show books. And this one was fantastic. I loved how Seyoon and Dean had different skill sets. She had survival skills and Dean had strategy skills. Both Seyoon and Dean have baggage and reasons for wanting to win the million-dollar purse. But there are plenty of misunderstandings and miscommunication. There are secrets and betrayals. I loved the behind the scene moments. I loved the fake dating moments while filming and the private moments between Seyoon and Dean. I didn't want this book to end. 

Cover Thoughts: Fantastic:

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have romance book for your school and public library 

Romance Review: The Earl That Got Away

* Book 2 in the Sirens in Silk books *

Naila has regretted calling off her engagement. She never imaged that she would see him again. But he turns up at her sister's wedding. Her sister is marrying a member of the English peers, as an American. In the time apart, Basil has changed.

He's inherited an Earlship. He's still White, which was a problem with her family. He's still a bachelor, and one of the most eligible bachelors. He's still bitter about Naila's rejection.

They are pushed together more and more during the wedding celebrations. Could there be lingering feelings on both sides?

My Thoughts: I mistakenly read this one first. The first one is an enemies to lovers trope. This one is a Persuasion retelling - a second chance romance. I really loved this book; I tore through it. I'm a sucker for Jane Austen retellings. I love how these were connected (with sisters as the main characters). I love that Naila was interested in architecture and wanted to save the English ancestorial homes and how she worked to accomplish her mission. I need to go back and read the first book and I hope there are more books coming soon.

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your public romance collection

Picture Book Review: Garden Books

Just a few garden books, also great for the garden theme for Summer Reading

A dandelion isn't sure what she could be.

This book goes through the growth of the flower and how to changes over time. There is also an end page that shares information about dandelions. The illustrations are cheerful.

This book follows the life of a seed what it needs to grow and flourish. 

I love how this book shows the steps of flowers and acknowledges that it's hard to wait. I love the message that every seed is beautiful and different. 

Not technically a gardening book, but this one is about the sun. The squirrel is pretty certain that someone is stealing the sun, but bird explains that the sun goes to bed and gets up at different times during the year. 

This is part of a series of picture books. Squirrel and Bird are a great pair, I love them. There are end pages that share information about light and dark and seasons. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books from Favorite Authors

 This week's topic is Favorite Books from Favorite Authors. And I have a lot of favorite authors. This is a hard week. How to choose? Also how does one choose a favorite book from these amazing writers?

Meg Cabot

This is the book that changed my life

Sarah J Maas

I loved this entire series, but this ending destroyed me.

Jessica Burkhart

I'm picking the first one of the series, but honestly, I loved them all

Sarah Dessen

Despite the terrible library scene, this is my favorite. I love the chaos. 

Morgan Matson

Ok, I love Morgan's YA books, but this one really got me.

Barbara Dee

All the stars for this one. 

Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I've been a fan since Perfect Cover. I'm a little behind on the Grandest Game books. But this is the series I recommend the most.

Ally Carter

I still want MORE of these books. I loved them so much.

Judy Blume

I read this book until it fell apart and then read it some more as a kid.

LM Mongomery

I Love the Anne movies, but this is the trilogy that I re-read over and over again. I think I only read the Anne books once all the way through.

Any similar favorite authors or favorite books?

Middle Grade Review: Magnitude

Cora leaves the apartment early one morning, heading for the docks. On her way there, she meets a Chinese girl on a bike. She's being harassed by the boys who bully her. Cora helps Zhi escape the bullies, but they can't escape what's coming next.

A large earthquake hits. Buildings fall. Both Cora and Zhi are stuck underground. They're running out of time. But they're rescued by Cora's old friend. When Cora and Zhi realize the damage to the city, they're dumbfounded. They have to get back to their families.

The water pipes burst. The city is on fire. Thieves are on the loose. Can the three of them of find their families and make it somewhere safe?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this historical fiction disaster book. I loved walking/running the city with the three main characters. I didn't know much about this disaster, but from the book it's clear that it was terrifying event. I felt badly for Cora and Oliver and their family feud breaking up their friendship prior to the book, but I'm glad they were able to reconnect. I love how the book ended. Reading this book makes me want to read a nonfiction account of this disaster and the aftermath. Come for the historical fiction but stay for the action and danger. Readers won't want to but this one down. 

Cover Thoughts: Great

 Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have historical fiction novel for your school and public library. 

Picture Book Review: Books for Memorial Day

Just a few new to the library books:

It's not just the soldier that serves; it's the whole family. This book showcases different soldiers and their family - what they do when they serve and what happens on the homefront while the soldiers are gone. 

The message here is that everyone is strong and everyone has a mission. Everyone serves. The illustrations are lovely. There's so much here to share and talk about. 

One Veteran takes a trip to Washington D.C. as part of a special tour from the Honor Flight Network.

 This book showcases several war monuments and shares that not all Veterans were welcomed home. There's a lovely surprise at the end of the flight. I won't lie, this book made me ugly cry. It's emotional and heartfelt. 

If you or your family served, thank you for your service.