Possible Pop Sugar 2020 Prompts: Bildungsroman, 4 star rating on GoodReads, Banned Book, Written more than 20 books, More than 20 letters in the title, 20th century published date.

I can't remember the last time I reread this series, and I was inspired to reread it because I did a movie rewatch. Still magical, but not my favorite in the series, although there were some moments that I felt were even funnier now that I'm grown. Still stand by the fact that I hate Snape.

Possible Read Harder 2020 Prompts: Rural Setting, Protagonist with a disability
Possible Pop Sugar 2020 Prompts: Written more than 20 books, 20th Century pub date, bildungsroman, 3 word title.

I thought this book was stupid. It felt like yet another mediocre novel by a white man that was just..not good enough to warrant the hype. HATED IT.

This book was mentioned on the following episodes of Checking Out:
Episode 1 - Listen here.
Episode 2 - Listen here.

Possible Read Harder 2020 Prompts: Memoir from a different religious tradition
Possible Pop Sugar 2020 Prompts: 20th century pub date, 4 star rating, Passes Bechdel test

I actually never read THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL but always wanted to. My grandma told me I couldn't read it until I was in 8th grade, and then..it had lost it's "allure". I got to teach the play this year with an amazing coteacher, and the play was so fun to watch the students interact with. It did a great job of keeping the reader engaged and wanting to know what happened next. It really hits home at the end how these were real people and a real story and i found it very moving.

Possible Pop Sugar 2020 Prompts: Only words on the cover, 4 star rating on GoodReads, Written more than 20 books, 20th century pub date, Series with more than 20 books

I did not expect this book to be so FUNNY! I thought it was going to be more of a thriller type and while there was a crime, it had me dying laughing. It’s about a woman named Stephanie Plum who becomes a bounty hunter to pay the bills (relatable) and the first guy she has to catch is the guy she lost her virginity to

This book was mentioned on Episode 2 of Checking Out. Listen here!

Possible Pop Sugar 2020 Prompts: Bildungsroman, passes Bechdel test, 4 star rating on GoodReads, 3 word title, written more than 20 books

THIS STORY IS BETTER THAN PRIDE AND PREJUDICE THERE I SAID IT. I found the characters much more complex and I found myself feeling torn, not sure who to root for and who was right or wrong. I love books like this that are more complex, but you end up falling for the characters, and the discussion of class and unions was done so well. LOVE.

Possible ReadHarder 2020 Prompts: Rural Setting,
Possible Pop Sugar 2020 Prompts: passes Bechdel test, western, written more than 20 books

I had to read a Western. This one had a homesteading vibe and was YA so I could get through it. It was mostly boring though. But I did it.

Possible Pop Sugar 2020 Prompts: 7 deadly sins, 4 star rating on GoodReads, more than 20 letters in the title

This book is seriously transformative, and is helping me learn how to love my body and listen to it and give it what it wants when it does. Dieting is so bad for me mentally and this explains why! I am so glad I picked up this book.

This book was mentioned on the following episodes of Checking Out:
Episode 1 - Listen here.
Episode 2 - Listen here.

Possible Read Harder 2020 Prompts: Rural setting
Possible Pop Sugar 2020 Prompts: By or about a journalist, 7 deadly sins, more than 20 letters in the title.

I didn't expect to love this book but I did. It was so hard to put down. Thompson goes into 3 jobs that are predominantly done by migrant workers, and the jobs that most of us would never want to do. It really gave me such an appreciation and understanding of why things like unions and fighting for labor rights is so important, because the populations that do these jobs are so easily taken advantage of. Highly recommend.

Possible Pop Sugar 2020 Prompts: upside-down image, involving social media, 3-word title, written more than 20 books

I had been drowning in "adult" books and needed a quick palate cleanser in the form of a YA book and Sara Shepard is great for those. It's not fantastic literature, but I did very much enjoy it, and it helped to get back into the rhythm of reading books that were not all like 600 pages plus. A great mindless read that does keep you guessing.

Possible Pop Sugar 2020 Prompts: book with a map, unknown subject, by a woman of color, written more than 20 books, more than 20 letters in the title.

I had never heard of Sarah Rector, and found this book so interesting. For a picture book, it has a LOT of words and information and was very cool. Sarah Rector was a member of a Native American tribe, and received a land allottment. This land ended up having a huge oil well on it, and she became the richest girl in America. Of course, there was lots of fights over what she could and should spend her money on, and the racial tensions of the time didn't help. An interesting quick read, with lots of good pictures and information.