a series of lines i love from books i love
“I feel these forbidden thoughts creep in sometimes without warning. Slow thoughts that always start quietly, like whispers you’re not even sure you’re hearing. And then they get louder and louder until they become every sound in the entire world. Thoughts that’s can’t be undone.”
The Way I Used to Be | Amber Smith
So here we are again: It’s May, there are less than 20 days of school left, and even though this year was difficult (each one always is for different reasons anymore), I am bustling with ideas of things I want to try next year.
NEXT YEAR?
Yes, next year. While I do have two or three applications out to get out of the classroom and move into curriculum writing (which I think is my true passion), the odds I can get those jobs with very little experience in that subject matter is slim to none, I think. The odds aren’t zero, so I applied.
But am I really a teacher planning on going back next year, even with all the straight disrespect given to us lately? Surprisingly, yes. While there were a lot of challenges between students, colleagues and supervisors, I had a blast with my students this year. Did you know I had no students fail my class in the first semester? I have high expectations. Students met them.
As the year went on, my biggest struggle was in getting my coworkers to care as much as I did: to try new things to help their students; to build relationships and understand why they are the way they are. You’re not always the best teacher because you’re mean (you’re also not always the best because you’re nice either).
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Eighteen-year-old Del is in a healthier place than she was a year and a half ago: She’s sober, getting treatment for her depression and anxiety, and volunteering at a suicide-prevention hotline. Her own suicide attempt is in the past, and living in San Francisco with her beloved aunt has helped her see a future for herself.
But when Aunt Fran is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Del’s equilibrium is shattered. She’s dedicated herself to saving every life she can, but she can’t save Fran. All she can do is help care for her aunt and try to prepare herself for the inevitable—while also dealing with a crush, her looming first semester at college, and her shifts at the crisis line.
After Aunt Fran asks for her help with a mind-boggling final request, Del must confront her own demons and rethink everything she thought she knew about life and death.
This book kept me up reading until 3am because I was so pulled into the emotion and drama.
“The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent” is an emotional teen novel that doesn’t hold back. Suffering from depression and anxiety and not far removed from an attempt on her own life, Del is finding herself again and looking forward to college. Things are well until she learns her Aunt Fran has cancer again and has an unthinkable request. Not to mention, her distant crush is in town adding another layer of stress and frustration. The relationship between the Del and everyone around her creates a very strong emotional pull that makes you soak in every word.
A five star book about grief, mental health, and family to get you in your feelings.
Thank you to Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group for an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*Trigger Warning: This book involves discussions of suicidal ideation and references to suicide. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, have any questions about suicide, are worried about a loved one and seeking guidance, or simply need a listening ear, you can call or text 988 or call 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). Both of these numbers connect to the confidential, anonymous Lifeline network of crisis lines in all fifty US states.
AKA – I’m on a reading kick right now!
You know what I mean. You have two phases: one where you finish one book and immediately start the next, and one where you finish a book and don’t read another one for 17 years.
In 2020, I read a whopping 3 books. Yes, THREE. Oof.
So far in 2021, I’m already up to 4! More books in 15 days than 366. That’s a reading kick for ya.
So here’s what I’ve read so far this year, and maybe I’ll do these weekly or biweekly until I abruptly quit reading once again:
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It’s been a long time since I’ve posted one of these!
So I’ve decided to focus on reading this year. Especially now that I have made the decision to pursue my teaching license. I realized that I’m going to have to teach books to students (instead of being taught), and that in order to do that, I probably needed to read those books myself first haha.
I googled middle school reading lists in Texas and found one district website that might be helpful. You can check out the list here if you’re interested.
I decided to start my reading adventure with The Giver, and now I’m working my way through the entire series (which I did not even know WAS a series until I got to the end of the original). Only the first two show up on the reading list, but now I want to see how this ends. 🙂
I’ve also got a lot of books that either followers have sent me, or that I’ve received from Kindle First, that are still sitting on my iPad unread, so I’m trying to work through some of those as well.
So far this year, I’ve read 4 books. I update and rate everything on my Goodreads account (feel free to add me).
If you can recommend any books for me, particularly grades 6-8 (heck I may hate middle schoolers but I’m hoping to try those out first), leave them in a comment below! 🙂
I just noticed while scrolling through my blog trying to remember what week we’re on, that the only posts I’ve had lately are the 8WC or Fiction Friday. So that’s kind of boring. Ultimately though, until we move, that’s probably all it’s going to be. I’m not doing much right now besides reading, SOME writing, and POKEMON GO. But more on that later.
Time is sure flying by on this challenge! 2 weeks left of the challenge means 2 weeks left at my job! Eek!
So here is my end of week 6 update: Continue reading
I’ve been reading a lot lately. Which is GREAT. Because after I got my job a 2 months out of college, I stopped reading almost altogether. Not like “I’ll never read again!” I just wasn’t reading.
I just got wrapped up in TV, and the occasional movie. Plus I work in a library with no fun reading books. Just medical sciencey type books. Bleh.
I hit up the public library twice in the last week and half. And I’ve got two more books that will likely be waiting for me on Monday, so I’ve gotta get to reading the two books I still have to read! Ah!
These are good problems to have though.
The only problem with reading so much, is the lack of packing I have done. And we’re officially THREE WEEKS OUT from moving day! Crap! I’m not gonna quit reading though. I just need to figure out how to manage my time better, haha.
Okay, without further ado, here’s what I’ve been reading lately.
The closer the end of this challenge comes, the faster it goes.
And the faster the challenge goes, IT MEANS IT’S ALMOST TIME TO LEAVE.
We’ve got 3 weeks left of the eight week challenge, which means I’ve got 3 weeks left at work, and just 4 weeks left of Virginia living. I’m already starting to miss out the view from my back patio:
Photo credit: ME
So how has my challenge progressed this week? Well, no better than the last few weeks it appears. Let’s break it down.
Got a pretty good chunk of reading done these past two weeks. Crossing things off my expansive reading list. So exciting!
Here’s what I read recently: Continue reading
Hello friends!
I’ve determined that I am indeed correct in that by creating this challenge, I’ve made these weeks seem to go by super fast. I made the mistake of counting how many days were left until we move to Texas (we’re at 39 today!) and now I’m panicking and feel like I need to start packing everything. It’s seriously too early though.
I have been cleaning pretty hardcore though. The kitchen is almost move-out ready as far as things being cleaned. The oven, the fridge, the floors. Just gotta get all our crap out of it haha.
We’ve got some people looking at our apartment this afternoon. I hope they take it. Because I’m already tired of people coming to look at it. Cleaning it, making sure I’m there to get the dog out of the way. Ugh.
Okay, enough complaining. It’s update time. For the end of week 3: Continue reading
The Caffeinated Writer 