February Titles // 2019

the hopefuls

Februrary wasa  slower book month, but unfortunately because of this month's fewer days, there are 2 books that won't make this list that I will probably complete in that time period. Harumph. Only two of the above books were completed, and one wasn't even started. That, I'm assuming, will also be our March read-alouds fate, barely any output this month, but partway through a number that we'll finish by the end of next.

*China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan - This is the second book in the Crazy Rich Asians series, and it did not disappoint. It clocked in just under 500 pages and was again, my favorite read of the month with the humor, cultural context, and ridiculous storyline. I have now gotten to the end of each of these books with the thought, "dangit! Now I'm going to have to read the next one" because I don't like spending time with a 450+ page book. These are worth it, however, and I fully intend to read the last in the series sometime before summer, Rich People Problems. If you're skeptical because of the titles, I admit, they could be better, but they are so much fun. 

*Imperfect Courage by Jessica Honnegger - Honnegger is founder of Noonday Collection, a fair-trade jewelry company that is made by international artisans. You've maybe heard of their trunk shows, or seen their beautiful chunky earrings online (or your best friend). I love the style of their items, though I've never owned any pieces, I first found them years ago on pinterest after I went hunting for this  necklace (and this one!) and it could not be found anywhere! Turns out it was a limited edition for NC.
This book is the story of how the business got started, the ups and downs, etc. It's part memoir, part business tip, part 'butt in chair' manifesto. I was first attracted to this book because I knew a bit about NC but also because the cover is beautiful. It was a solid good. Three and a half stars for the back story on this company, less because I'm just sort of getting sick of reading books about people who do amazing things in the past ten years online. It's sort of a weird genre. Sometimes educators, CEOs, bloggers, etc. just don't translate well to the page. See the next book.

*Screens and Teens by Dr. Kathy Koch - This was another book I'd heard about from a podcast and had the Surrey library order it for me. It's really good information, it's just not the best book I've read on the topic. It's a bit lighter than I expected, and some of the practical suggestions are a bit too juvenile, in my opinion. The podcast I had listened to (that I can't find now, or I'd link to it) gave me the best information, since it was condensed, and I should have stuck with that. I'm sure Dr Koch is a phenomenal speaker, but again, sometimes that doesn't always mean it will translate well to a book. 

Sigh. All that reading and a very 'meh' feeling about the majority of it. I'm not generally one to quit a book becuase I keep hoping for the bit of information that will make it worthwhile or a redeeming ending, but that is perhaps one literary lesson I could learn. 

Read Alouds

*All Aboard! Canadian Flyer #9  by Freida Wishinsky - This book series is like the Magic Tree House for Canadian history, only I'm beginning to realize as my kids get older, there is about thismuch history involved, and more just move-along plot for interest. This story we read in about 30 minutes right after we had read a historical account of a little girl who watched the first train come in on the BC coast. All Aboard! was about the two main characters, Emily and Matt, who travel back in time to see the last railroad spike hammered into the ground in British Columbia and finding a young worker who had been injured on the train work crew.