High Shelf Esteem

Archives for June 2017

What’s Making Me Happy: June Edition

As the tagline of my blog says, my goal is to help you live your best literary lives, but I am a firm believer in balance. Books and reading make me very happy, but there are lots of other things out there that to do too! So, each month, I’m going to share a handful of non-bookish things that have been putting a smile on my face. (Disclaimer: a few bookish things might weasel their way in 🙂 )

Here’s what’s made me happy in June:

Master of None Season 2

Season 2 of Master of None came out mid-May so I was a little slow getting to this, but I’m so glad I did! The show picks up with the main character, Dev (played by creator Aziz Ansari), moving on with his life after a difficult break-up. He’s moved to Italy to learn how to make pasta and figure out his next steps.

There are moments when the show is absolutely hilarious, but there’s so much more to it than the laughs. Aziz doesn’t constrain himself to traditional TV show models of linear storytelling or a uniform approach to the artistic direction of each episode. In Master of None, one episode is filmed like an Italian film noir, another focuses on the lives of strangers in New York City, and another goes into the coming-out story of one of Dev’s best friends. We get to know so much more about people, relationships, and the world through Aziz’s innovative approach.

 

Color-Changing Nail Polish

I’ve always been a sucker for color-changing merchandise of all kinds. So, when I went into the Cariloha Bamboo store to look for sheets and saw that they also sold Del Sol nail polish that changes color in the sun, I HAD to buy some. I got “VIP,” which is clear and sparkly that turns bright pink under UV light. I tried it out at the pool the other day, and it worked like a charm. 

 

LeVar Burton Reads

As I mentioned earlier, I won’t be able to resist adding some book-related things to my monthly happy-making lists. The new podcast, Levar Burton Reads, fills that spot for June. I was (and still am) a huge Reading Rainbow fan, so when I heard that LeVar Burton would be reading his favorite short works of fiction on a podcast, I was pumped. I started listening right away and loved it. LeVar is a wonderful narrator, of course, but what really sets these stories apart is the sound effects and editing. I’ve always wished audiobooks would incorporate sound into the performance, but none seem to. When a door shuts in the story, I want to hear it, and in LeVar Burton Reads, my wishes have come true.

 

Coffee Ice Cubes

It’s a small thing, but I love when coffee shops use coffee ice cubes in my drinks. Iced coffee is one of my favorite beverages in the summer, but it’s always so disappointing when it gets watered down once the ice cubes melt. Lucky for me, my favorite coffee spots have started using coffee ice cubes to prevent this dreaded dilution! I’m going to start making my own, so I can save some money and make fabulous ice coffees at home.

 

What made you happy in June? Share in the comments below!

Worth the Read?: Into the Water

Welcome to Worth the Read?, where I give you my honest opinion on whether you should spend your precious time reading a super-hyped New York Times Bestseller.

Into the WaterToday’s book is:
Into the Water, by Paula Hawkins
On bestsellers list for 7 weeks
Ranked at #4 on Adult Hardback Fiction

The Hype:

Into the Water flew off the shelves as soon as it came out because it’s by Paula Hawkins, author of the bonkers popular book, The Girl on the Train. Since its publication in 2015, approximately 19 million copies of The Girl on the Train have been sold worldwide and the book has made Paula Hawkins one of the highest paid authors in 2016.

Plot Summary:

Jules Abbott left the small town of Beckford, England as a teen after a traumatic event involving her sister, Nel. She never thought she’d return, but when Nel is found dead in the water of what the locals call the Drowning Pool, Jules has to come back to take care of Nel’s teenage daughter, Lena.

Nel is not the only one who recently died in the seemingly cursed waters. (As the name implies, many people – namely women – have died in the Drowning Pool over the centuries.) A few months earlier, Lena’s best friend was also found drowned. Both deaths appear to be suicides, but not everything is as it seems.

Thoughts:

The death and mystery surrounding the Drowning Pool did draw me into the story, but I never fully connected with the characters. The book constantly rotated narrators, which made it hard to grow attached to any of them, and the ones who were better-developed, weren’t particularly likable.

I also found some of the threads of the story unnecessary. Many thrillers and suspense novels have elements of the plot that are red herrings, but some of these storylines just seemed superfluous. All that being said, the main mystery was compelling enough that I kept turning the pages. I was simultaneously surprised and satisfied by the ending.

Rating:

70% worth it

 

Rating Key

80% – 100% – the book lives up to the hype. Go read it now!
60% – 79% – the book is good, but there’s no rush to read it
40% – 59% – the book has some degree of merit, but has flaws and probably isn’t worth your time
0% – 39% – the book stinks and isn’t worth the read

New Series: New York Times Bestsellers – Worth the Read?

Time. There isn’t enough of it, and what precious little we have, we want to use as effectively as possible. For me and many readers I know, this means the books we read need to be worth the hours we spend on them.

Lots of folks use the New York Times Bestsellers list as their go-to resource for choosing the books they read. The reasoning makes sense. If booksellers and wholesalers are reporting to the NY Times that a book is selling really well, then it should probably be pretty darn good, right?

That’s the question I want to answer in this series. Every couple weeks, I will read a book on the New York Times Bestsellers list, and give you my honest opinion on whether it is worth your time. Life is too short to read mediocre books and if I can save you from a lukewarm reading experience, by golly, I will!

Here’s how it’ll work:

Every couple weeks, I will read a book currently on the New York Times Bestsellers List. This includes all formats (hardback, paperback, and ebook) and all categories (fiction, non-fiction, and children’s). One caveat: all books must have been on the list for at least 4 weeks.

For each book, I will give the book’s number of weeks on the list and its ranking as of the date the post goes up. I will also provide a plot summary, explore the hype surrounding the book, divulge my personal thoughts, and give a final rating.

Ratings will given as percentages:

80% – 100% – the book lives up to the hype. Go read it now!
60% – 79% – the book is good, but there’s no rush to read it
40% – 59% – the book has some degree of merit, but has flaws and probably isn’t worth your time
0% – 39% – the book stinks and isn’t worth the read

I hope this series will be helpful to you! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Click HERE to read the first official Worth the Read? post!

Literary Linking: June 19 – 23

This week’s article topics include: a history of Reading Rainbow, Roald Dahl as a father, horse-riding librarians, and more! Some of these links are actually from earlier in the month, but I didn’t have a chance to share since I was taking a blogging hiatus. Enjoy!

Misprint the Legends: Famous Typos from James Joyce to J.K. Rowling
Read about the typo in a the 1631 printing of the Bible (often referred to as the Wicked Bible). It’s sinfully bad 🙂

Take a Look: An Oral History of Reading Rainbow
A fascinating article on one my absolute favorite PBS shows growing up. It makes me want to sing… Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high. Take a look, it’s in a book, a Reading Rainbow!

What If Willy Wonka Were Your Dad? Roald Dahl’s Magical Parenting with Food
Roald Dahl may not have been perfect, but he sure was good at getting his kids to eat their vegetables! Definitely listen to the Sporkful podcast episode embedded in the article – it’s wonderful.

New York Public Library Staff Picks 2017
I always enjoy a good book list, and NYPL never disappoints.

Horse-Riding Librarians Were the Great Depression’s Bookmobiles
Wow, these librarians were devoted Especially the “…one librarian had to hike her 18-mile route when her mule died.” Holy cow…I mean, horse!

Kids Love Summer Reading!: Free Printable Book Lists

Summer, my favorite season for reading, is officially here!

As an adult, I love the summer months because it gives me the time and freedom to read books I normally wouldn’t during the rest of the year. But I’ve loved summer reading since I was a kid. I would sign up for my public library’s summer reading program as soon as I could and would check out a pile of books equal to my body weight (I was kinda chunky, so it was a lot of books!).

Now that I am a librarian, pulling together summer reading guides is one of my favorite parts of the job. I know a lot of folks out there see kids today as screen-fiends, who wouldn’t ever pick up a book by choice, but I am here to tell those cynics to think again.

When I gave my students this year’s summer recommendation lists, they were genuinely excited to learn about all the amazing new books just waiting to be read. Some of them actually bought and started reading them before school let out!

I am sharing those lists with you today. If you’re a parent of a reluctant reader, I guarantee there are multiple titles that your kiddo will enjoy. And if your child is already a bookworm, get ready to buy/borrow lots of great titles.

Those of you who aren’t parents, you should download the lists too! Use them for gift ideas or give one of the books a read. You won’t be disappointed!

PK – Rising 1st Grade

Rising 2nd – 3rd Grade

Rising 4th – 5th Grade

Young Adult (Rising 6th – 9th)

What other fabulous children’s/YA books would you recommend for summer reading? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

A New & Improved High Shelf Esteem: Coming Soon!

Sorry for the radio silence for the last month! Librarian-ing took over during May and June, but now that I’m on summer break, I have big plans for High Shelf Esteem.

I will, of course, start posting regularly again, but I’m also making a bunch of changes and enhancements. There will be a new design for the site, as well as bonus content for email subscribers, new weekly series, printables, and more.

So, get ready for the new improved High Shelf Esteem – stay tuned!