The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

I have been waiting for this for so long!!!!

And then, of course, I got an assignment for SLJ that I had to read and review first! 

So, I was finally able to sit and read this on our day off for Columbus Day/Indigenous People's Day.  As I expected, I could not put it down.

I have been a huge fan of Kim Liggett's writing for a long time (I reviewed her previous books here).  So I pre-ordered this as soon as I could from Amazon.  It'll now be donated to the WHHS Library.  I am also thrilled to say Universal has optioned the rights, and it will be directed by Elizabeth Banks!

This has been tag-lined as a Lord of the Flies meets The Handmaid's Tale.  I would definitely agree.  I'd also add in the Salem Witch Trials/The Crucible. 

At the age of 16, girls in this society leave their town for a year at an island encampment. The day prior, boys of the same age and widowers may choose one of the girls as a wife, if she survives the year.  The purpose is to expel all the "magic" from the girls, so that they will be be proper wives/docile women.  In reality, it is to break their spirit.

I honestly do not want to spoil any more of this plot, because it is THAT
GOOD.  There are twists, turns, "holy [expletives]", and a roller coaster of emotions.  It's not a story of rainbows and sunshine. 

Although a very dark statement on the direction our lives might be taking, as was Offred's tale, it's also a reminder of the power of women working together.  They are a force for change and hope. 

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All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.

The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean

Last March I was given a directive to update our science holdings when I created the book order for this year.  This book was recommended by our vendor, Follett's Titlewave for chemistry.  I really wasn't interested until it came in and I saw it in person.

Yes, I know, don't judge a book by its cover.

But, this one's cover made me want to at least thumb through it.

I really enjoyed reading it!

So much so, I talked to Mr. Hill and Mrs. Poffenberger about using it in their Honors and AP Chem classes.  

This is a tour through the Periodic Table of the Elements and how they were "discovered", most of which were by accident or theory alone until proven.  There's lots of interesting factual tidbits relating to alchemy, philosophy, and more.  It's as much a history book as a science one. 

It's certainly been a while since I took Honors Chem myself, and there was a fair bit of science that went over my head, but not enough to impact understanding.  

Find this on display come Nonfiction November!

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All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.