5 Books I’m Reading Right Now (+ 3 Bonus Titles!)

Pennyroyal Academy by M. A. Larson
I was looking at books for Harry Potter lovers a few months ago and saw this one recommended several places. I’d never even heard of it, but since I have a houseful of Harry Potter lovers, I picked up a copy from the library for our latest read aloud. To be honest, I’m not sure we’ll make it through this one – it’s been fairly slow and I don’t think any of us are super into it.

And I thought it’d be fun to include a book that each of my three assistants are reading too – there’s no such thing as too many book recommendations!

Analese

The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer
I love a good historical fiction book. This one had amazing reviews and is living up to the hype. It has a duel storyline, jumping back and forth between different times in history and modern day life. The story follows Alina as she grows up with her family in a Nazi occupied Poland, along with her childhood love, Tomasz. The other side of the story is Alice, a stay-at-home mom, with an autistic son, an incredibly intelligent daughter and a husband who is struggling to come to terms with their son’s diagnosis. This book had me gripped from the first few chapters.

Kelsey

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
I stumbled across the Netflix film series while folding laundry and finally realized they were based off of Jenny Han’s YA book series! I recently finished the third book and reading it was such a delightful way to end my nights. This book continues Lara Jean’s journey through her senior year of high school, which is full of so much excitement. Her father is getting remarried and college acceptance letters start arriving. When unforeseen circumstances suddenly change her plans, the fate of her relationship with her boyfriend Peter, is put to the test. I highly recommend reading the books before watching the movies.

Jennifer

Violet Mackerel’s Remarkable Recovery by Anna Branford                                     

It isn’t very often that I find a winner of a book by quickly perusing the library shelves, but this beginner chapter book series was a surprisingly wonderful exception. I have read the first three of eight books out loud to my four year old daughter and we have both been delighted! They have a very similar feel and charm to Beverly Cleary’s beloved Ramona books (think endearing mischief maker). In Violet Mackerel’s Remarkable Recovery, seven year old Violet has to have her tonsils removed. Her imaginative and charismatic attitude help her to have a truly remarkable recovery- and make an unlikely friend from the hospital waiting room. This was just such an unexpectedly sweet story, and I actually got a little choked up at the very end (to the annoyance of my four year old).