From the Gridiron to the Classroom: Lessons from Indiana Hoosier Football
“We came in and changed the roster and then you have to change the way people think—the mindset, the culture, the identity of your football […]
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The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Henry
Link Synopsis: In the war-torn London of 1939, fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora are evacuated to a rural village to escape the horrors of the […]
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The Other Gwyn Girl by Nicola Cornick
Synopsis: 1671 – London The Civil War is over and Charles II, the ‘Merry Monarch’, is revelling in the throne of his murdered father and […]
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The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
Synopsis: When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s not only North Carolina’s richest woman, she’s also its most notorious. The victim of a […]
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The Fury by Alex Michaelides
Synopsis: This is a tale of murder. Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it? Lana Farrar is […]
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The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
Synopsis: Hannah Tigone, bestselling Australian crime author, is crafting a new novel that begins in the Boston Public Library: four strangers; Winifred, Cain, Marigold and […]
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The Maid’s Diary by Loreth Anne White
“We’re all tricksters. Each and every one of us. No one is a totally reliable narrator. Life is all Story. Every bit of it. We […]
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The Women by Kristin Hannah
Synopsis: When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these unexpected words, it is a revelation. Raised on idyllic Coronado Island and sheltered by her […]
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The Stranger
Prologue: I don’t remember the night he disappeared. I was not born yet… May 2018… It was an unusually warm, sultry May afternoon. Although not […]
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All the Broken Places by John Boyne
“When is a monster’s child culpable? Guilt and complicity are multifaceted. John Boyne is a maestro of historical fiction. You can’t prepare yourself for the […]
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Hello, Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
Synopsis: William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him—so […]
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The Teacher by Freida McFadden
Synopsis: Lesson #1: Trust no one. Eve has a good life. She wakes up each day, kisses her husband Nate, and heads off to teach math […]
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None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
Synopsis: Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summer crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns […]
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Penpal by Dathan Auerbach
In an attempt to make sense of his own mysterious and unsettling childhood memories, a man begins to reconstruct his past. As the games and […]
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Consumed by Hate, Redeemed by Love by Thomas A. Tarrants
Synopsis: As an ordinary high school student in the 1960s, Tom Tarrants became deeply unsettled by the social upheaval of the era. In response, he […]
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For the JOY of the LORD is your strength…
Nehemiah 8:10…a verse Christians know so well…”Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. […]
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Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
First, I’ll say that I actually listened to this as an audio book. I DO NOT like audio books. However, I downloaded this version through […]
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The Poison Squad: One Chemist’s Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the Twentieth Century by Deborah Blum
Have you ever thought about the food you eat? I mean, the saying does go “You are what you eat.” To be honest, I never […]
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Finding Joy: Part 2
WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO? That is a question educators are often asked – to remember your WHY. Many teachers will always say […]
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Crooked Snake by Lovejoy Boteler
This past week, a state wide search was conducted for a criminal who raped and murdered an elderly lady in a small town in Mississippi […]
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Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
If you have not read the book, then do not read this post. I am assuming if you came across this post then you are […]
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Navigating Trials: Choosing Joy
The other day, I heard on the radio characteristics of a toxic person. Shockingly, the identified traits described myself in my work environment since school […]
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Suicide Med by Freida McFadden
I thought about doing a synopsis; however, just google it. This post will include spoilers so do not read if you HAVE NOT read Suicide […]
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The Joys and Pains of the National Boards Process…
There are some moments in your life that you remember so well. You know, it is one of those “where were you when…” moments. November […]
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Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Synopsis: Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: she must return to her tiny hometown to […]
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Finding Joy: Part 1
“Joy” – a great feeling of pleasure or happiness. We all have been there…the ups in our careers, shouting from the mountaintops; the downs in […]
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Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
Synopsis: It’s 1950, and as the French Quarter of New Orleans simmers with secrets, seventeen-year-old Josie Moraine is silently stirring a pot of her own. […]
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The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon
In the 1950s, the Tower Motel—and its namesake Tower—were the shining attraction of tiny London, Vermont. Now it stands in disrepair, alive only in the […]
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The House of Tongues by James Dashner
I really liked this book! I know what you are thinking… “really?!?!?” Ok, so hear me out. I have never heard of James Dashner. If […]
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“Call It What You Want” soup
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The Quarry Girls by Jess Lourey
Synopsis: Minnesota, 1977. For the teens of one close-knit community, summer means late-night swimming parties at the quarry, the county fair, and venturing into the […]
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Zero Days by Ruth Ware
Synopsis: Hired by companies to break into buildings and hack security systems, Jack and her husband, Gabe, are the best penetration specialists in the business. […]
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The Coworker by Freida McFadden
Synopsis: Two women. An office filled with secrets. One terrible crime that can’t be taken back. Dawn Schiff is strange. At least, everyone thinks so […]
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Encouragement for the Discouraging Times
Discouragement. One word that evokes so many emotions – one of failure, one of questioning, one that convinces you that your work is never enough. […]
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Trials and Tribulations
I grew up in a small community where everyone knows everyone. Although there can be negatives to living in a small community, the benefits of […]
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Psycho by Robert Bloch
So, I should not have to give a synopsis on this book. If you have never watched Hitchcock’s Psycho, then I don’t know what to […]
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Want to Know a Secret by Freida McFadden
Synopsis: YouTube baking sensation April Masterson knows the secret to the perfect gooey brownies. Or how to make key lime squares that will melt in […]
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The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell
Synopsis: (Amazon link) On a beautiful summer night in a charming English suburb, a young woman and her boyfriend disappear after partying at the massive […]
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Ninja Foodi Swordfish
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Quick and Easy Pancakes
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The Ex by Freida McFadden
Scenario: Cassie thinks she has met the perfect man. Joel is sweet, handsome, romantic, and best of all, he’s crazy about Cassie. She thinks she’s […]
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The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
Scenario: Be careful what you watch for . . .Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated […]
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Mad Honey by Jody Picoult
Synopsis: (Amazon link) Olivia McAfee knows what it feels like to start over. Her picture-perfect life—living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, raising […]
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The It Girl by Ruth Ware
I have not written as much about Ruth Ware as I have Freida McFadden. However, if you love Freida’s books, I think you will really […]
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Advocacy, Teaching, and Storytelling
Have you ever thought about what makes one an advocate, regardless if on a small scale or a big scale? Is it a characteristic that […]
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One by One by Freida McFadden
This past Wednesday, I introduced my 16-year old to a Freida McFadden book – The Housemaid. It took some convincing to get her to read […]
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The Favorite Girl by Monica Arya
Ok, so normally I would include the synopsis at the beginning of the post; however, I am going to go straight into my thoughts. No. […]
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The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon
I recently blogged about The Frozen River, another novel by Ariel Lawhon. I am not sure why I have not heard of this author before, […]
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The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
Synopsis: Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause […]
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To be like Joseph…
If you have social media, I have no doubt you posted a “first day of school” picture, possibly stating what grades your children are in […]
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The Housemaid is Watching by Freida McFadden
I haven’t been in a blogging mood lately. At this point, I am not sure how many more book reviews I will be posting. Although […]
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The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
I am in the airport patiently waiting for my delayed flight to board so will make this quick… If you want a synopsis, find one […]
