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Page Turners Book Selection: June

Have you recovered from The Martian yet? We have and we’re ready for more sci-fi! What Lisa and I want to read for June is:

Ready Player One Book Club
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

The synopsis of this book sounds like a cross between the movies Surrogates and The Matrix. The main character is navigating a virtual world and stumbles on something that puts him in danger. It’s got 4.31/5 stars on Goodreads, so that says something.

Ready Player One
Hope you can score a copy of this at your local library. Thankfully I have a gamer husband, so my copy was free too! Don’t forget, we’ll be discussing Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) on May 29.

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May Goals

This post contains affiliate links to books I recommend from Amazon.
May_featureHappy May! Did you go to a  May Day festival this past weekend? I would love to go to a May Day festival draped in a flowing white dress and flowers in my hair. This year I spent it with bubbles and chalk outside with Sophie which is equally as awesome. Although the days are getting longer, they seem to be shorter because we’re having much more fun!

Before getting into my May goals, let’s see how I did with my April goals. My biggest family goal was to have more patience towards Sophie. I definitely have had more patience with Sophie. There are still days when I’m counting down the minutes til Jeffrey’s arrival but overall I’m getting better with staying calm with her. Jeffrey and I had a star gazing date night with dinner and a movie at the planetarium which was amazing. We’ve also started watching (second time for him) Game of Thrones and spending time together everyday outside once he gets home. We also had a ‘5k date night’ of which we’re both very proud of because we didn’t walk during the race! I did a meal plan every week but didn’t even touch my video files that are in desperate need of organization.

Lexi
Although I did not get accepted for any sponsored posts, I’m happy with my month of blogging. I only applied for two sponsored posts because I didn’t feel the options meshed with DIY Mama. I re-worked two drafts (Gooey Granola Bars and Love Letters Scrapbook) that went live this past month. I did very well at scheduling content for my social media accounts in advance and learning more about each outlet. I’m still not a fan of Facebook but I’m getting better at it. In fact, I did my first ‘boosted’ post and got amazing results. Continue Reading about May Goals

The Martian (Discussion)

Very excited today to be discussing our April book selection, The Martian! Did you get a chance to read it? I’ve got 3 questions below, and Lisa’s got some as well over on her blog. Feel free to discuss any or all of the questions in the comment section or link-up your post at the bottom. Lisa and I are sharing the same link-up, so you don’t have to enter on both blogs. The linky will close in a week. Alright, let’s get started!

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I really enjoyed The Martian. I’m giving it a 4/5 stars only because I wasn’t a fan of the depth he went into when explaining the science of his mission. I super loved Mark Watney and his dry sense of humor as well as Andy Weir’s development of the characters and settings.

And now, for the discussion. Before I begin, I’ll remind you that there may be spoilers ahead. Also, feel free to use my questions as jumping points. Ask your own questions and start your own discussions. I’ll be responding to comments in the comment section, and you’ll get an email when I (or anyone else) does.

1. There’s a lot of science in how Mark fights to survive – did you find that fascinating or challenging?

I skimmed a large portion of the detailed science throughout the book. When Mark would think out loud on how to grow the potatoes or repair the Hab, I lost interest. I’m sure the chemistry/botany/physics aspect of the story is very interesting to some but I enjoyed his humor throughout the story the most. I loved the banter and sarcasm that so many of the NASA characters had.

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2. Who knew potatoes, duct tape, and seventies reruns were the key to space survival? How does each of these items represent aspects of Mark’s character that help him survive?

I love that these mundane objects that we take for granted, here on Earth, were critical in Mark’s survival. Learning how to mass grow potatoes with the little resources he had was genius. Duct tape fixes everything (I have a book with the same title). The fact that Mark HATED 70s TV and disco but grew to love it was so funny to me. I’m sure that’s how I would be if I was stuck with Country music. I would long for the company of fellow Earthlings and grasp onto humanity in any way I could. Watching re-runs helped Mark keep his mind away from all the hopelessness and despair around him.

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3. How is Mark’s sense of humor as much a survival skill as his knowledge of botany? Do you have a favorite funny line of his?

Mark (and therfore Andy Weir) is hilarious! I loved his dry sense of humor and that his biggest personality trait was to keep himself and other’s laughing. I laughed out loud throughout the book, so I’m just going to put down a few of my favorite lines:

  • “Maybe I’ll post a consumer review. “Brought product to surface of Mars. It stopped working. 0/10.”
  • “[11:49] JPL: What we can see of your planned cut looks good. We’re assuming the other side is identical. You’re cleared to start drilling. [12:07] Watney: That’s what she said. [12:25] JPL: Seriously, Mark? Seriously?”
  • “I need to ask myself, ‘What would an Apollo astronaut do?’ He’d drink three whiskey sours, drive his Corvette to the launchpad, then fly to the moon in a command module smaller than my Rover. Man those guys were cool.”
  • “I tested the brackets by hitting them with rocks. This kind of sophistication is what we interplanetary scientists are known for.”

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Now, it’s your turn! Answer any or all of the questions in the comment section below. Ask questions of your own. Or, link-up a blog post with your review and/or the answers to these questions. Also be sure to check out Lisa’s discussion questions on her blog. We’re sharing the same linky, so no need to link-up on both blogs.


Remember our May selection is Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling. I’m almost done with Mindy’s book already! I’ve been listening to her read the audio version and I’m so glad. It’s really funny to hear her voice telling the story. We’ll be discussing Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? on May 29th.

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Page Turners Book Selection: May

Hello bibliophiles! Lisa and I are so happy to announce our book selection for May! We wanted to give you plenty of time to get your hands on a copy. So, without further ado, our book selection for May is:

Mindy Kaling
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

This is Mindy Kaling’s memoir. After reading a few fiction books we wanted to mix in a funny but 100% true story. I’m a fan of most memoirs (Yes Please, Bossypants and Neil Patrick Harris
were awesome) so I’m looking forward to reading another. So hope you’ll join us in reading this!

Mindy Kaling
We’re so happy with the turn out so far with all of you who have joined in reading along with our book selections! Don’t forget, we’ll be discussing The Martian on May 1st. Lisa and I will have separate questions on each of our blogs so you can participate in either or both discussions.
Page Turners book club by Expandng & DIY Mama


All opinions of the books I review are my own. If you choose to purchase a book through the links I’ve provided, I will earn a few cents per purchase.

Wonder (Discussion)

Hello book worms! I’m excited to hear what you thought about our March book selection: Wonder. Did you get a chance to read it? I gave it a 5/5 stars. It was such a joy to read! I’ve got 3 questions below, and Lisa’s got 3 as well over on her blog. Feel free to discuss any or all of the questions in the comment section or link-up your post at the bottom. Lisa and I are sharing the same link-up, so you don’t have to enter on both blogs. The linky will close in a week. Alright, let’s get started!

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This book is a book that I would recommend to every friend I have, as well as everyone else in the world. It really pulled on the old heart strings but reminded me that kindness is, above all, the most important thing. The story was written for 8-12 year olds but children are not the only people who need to take a look at how they’re treating others.

And now, for the discussion. Before I begin, I’ll remind you that there may be spoilers ahead. Also, feel free to use my questions as jumping points. Ask your own questions and start your own discussions.

     1. I think teachers have an amazing role in a child’s life. They can make a huge influence on the outcome of a child. Mr Brown was one of Auggie’s teachers who made a big impact on his students. His use of precepts were a great way to instill thoughtfulness and reflection in his students. Did any of the precepts stand out to you (p. 312)? What would your current precept be? I enjoyed reading the class precepts the most. Amos Conti’s precept ‘Don’t try too hard to be cool. It always shows, and that’s uncool.’ was one of my favorites because he learned who he was and who he wanted to spend his time with by the end of the year. That’s a hard thing for anyone to learn! My current precept is: All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. -Walt Disney Here’s the list of precepts from Mr Brown:

“When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.”   —Dr. Wayne Dyer
“Your deeds are your monuments.”   —Inscription on ancient Egyptian tomb
“Have no friends not equal to yourself.”   —Confucius
“Fortune favors the bold.”   —Virgil
“No man is an island, entire of itself.”   —John Donne
“It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.”   —James Thurber
“Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much.”   —Blaise Pascal
“What is beautiful is good, and who is good will soon be beautiful.”   —Sappho
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.”   —John Wesley
“Just follow the day and reach for the sun.”   —The Polyphonic Spree
“Everyone deserves a standing ovation because we all overcometh the world.”   —Auggie Pullman

     2. I really enjoyed how R.J Palacio included chapters from the other character’s views. The chapters helped to explain why they acted how they did towards Auggie. Which character’s chapter was your favorite and why? I was extremely frustrated by Julian’s chapter in the beginning, I didn’t even want to continue reading it, but I’m so happy I did because it was my favorite chapter. Knowing how cruel and manipulative he was towards Auggie, makes me realize how prevalent that type of behavior is in our society. I am so thankful there are people like his Grandmere in this world to help people realize how seriously their actions affect others. Grandmere’s story made me cry knowing her story was so similar to thousands of people’s pasts.

     3. Which characters did you relate to? Take a look back. What type of middle-schooler were you? How are you now? I wish I could say that I related well to Summer in her accepting nature. Although Summer’s initial reasoning behind sitting with Auggie was pitty, it didn’t last long and she became good friends with him. As a middle-schooler, I had a lot of friends in different groups because I was in so many different activities (soccer, Girl Scouts, Student Council, FCA) but I can remember not going out of my way to talk to someone when they were sitting alone at lunch or in the stands at a sporting event. I have definitely changed and I think it is largely due to going to college and working in Disney with all types of people. I’ve learned that everyone has a story to tell and sometimes, the person sitting by themselves is the one with the best story.

Wonder_insta

Now, it’s your turn! Answer any or all of the questions in the comment section below. Ask questions of your own. Or, link-up a blog post with your review and/or the answers to these questions. Also be sure to check out Lisa’s discussion questions on her blog. We’re sharing the same linky, so no need to link-up on both blogs.

Remember our April selection is The Martian by Andy Weir . It’s not a book I would typically read so I’m excited to see how I like it! We’ll be discussing The Martian on May 1st.

PS. Who else had to skip the three chapters where Daisy died? I was balling just reading the first sentence and the chapter titles. Not cool R.J.! For more Wonder-ific entertainment, check out 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Book of Precepts or the movie (not sure when this is being released.)

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I am an Amazon Associate and will be compensated if you purchase books through any of the above Amazon links.


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