Persphone the Phony by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

This is my June TBR book and qualifies for the  Mythology challenge.

Aladdin

The second book in the Goddess Girls series, this book focuses on Persephone and also a bit on Hades. Persephone is a people pleaser and if her friends ask her to do something she always says yes, even if she doesn't really want to do whatever they are doing. She also has an overprotective mother, who wants to know where she is at all times. After an unwanted shopping trip, Persephone drops a ball of yarn and finds a cemetery where she meets Hades and the two strike up a friendship. Her friends and mother try to keep her from Hades, but Persephone sees that he is just lonely and tries to sneak and be friends with him. When pushed to her limits, Persephone must figure out if she has the courage to stand up for herself or continue to be a phony.

This series is a cute twist on the myths, where most of the Greek gods and goddesses attend a school called Mount Olympus Academy. So far only Zeus and Demeter are adults and the rest are teenagers, well, Athena's mom is a fly, so that is different. I like how Holub and Williams are giving the characters distinct personalities and Persephone is rarely given her own personality in the original myths. Of course the series is water downed for the intended age, but it works for that 4th grade audience. I do like how they weave in other stories, like the Trojan War, into what is going on in the school. The books are quick, easy reads and this one is no exception. 4 cups of cocoa and I will be booktalking these to my 4th grade group.

June TBR List: And the Winner is...

This is hosted by Michelle @ Because Reading.
And the winner is...

Aladdin

Well I went down in votes again this month and only had 4. Each book received at least one vote, so Persephone the Phony won by a single vote. I have actually started and finished the book, so I will work on the review for the rest of the month. :) It will probably take me that long, I have been really slow with reviews lately. I think this is a nice introductory series for elementary girls on the myths. They are prettied up quite a bit, but that is to be expected for the audience. Thanks for voting and I can't wait to see everyone else's winners!

COYER Scavenger Hunt signup

The COYER Scavenger Hunt Challenge is hosted by Fantasy is More Fun, Because Reading, and Books, Movies, Reviews.Oh My! You can sign up at this link.

I loved participating in the COYER Summer Vacation Challenge last year and tried COYER Winter and did not do so well. It seems like I read more in the summer, so I am hoping to do better with this challenge. There are three grand prizes and the rules are read books that you legally own, no library books this year, which will limit the number of books I read for this challenge, since half of what I will read over the summer is book club books from the library. Remember to post reviews and have fun are the other two rules. There is also a list of the scavenger hunt items, which can be found on the signup link page. I am going to try to get a list together of what I plan to read and what I would like to read if I finish what I plan to read.

Thanks to Berls, Michelle, and Stormi for hosting!

Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath

This was another read for the Newbery Challenge and this one was a Newbery honor. I had not really heard about this one before the Newbery Challenge, but it was a quick, easy read.

Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Primrose's parents both disappeared in the same storm out in the ocean. She knows that they are alive, but she is the only one who believes this. At first the city of Coal Harbor pays her babysitter out of her parents' money, but Miss Perfidy cannot keep her forever. When Primrose's drifter uncle comes to town, he agrees to take her in. Her teacher, Miss Honeycut, decides this is a bad idea, since she wants Uncle Jack all to herself, and tries to sabotage their relationship. Primrose finds her best comfort in The Girl on the Red Swing and Miss Bowzer who serves all her food on a waffle. The food is delicious and Miss Bowzer always makes time for Primrose. Through Miss Honeycut's interference, Primrose loses appendages, her home, and almost her family, but her faith in her parents' return may just save the day.

This was a charming story of hope, perseverance, and how a positive outlook can make even the most miserable situations bearable. Through everything that happens, Primrose keeps her faith and cherishes all the people she comes into contact with. She is a delightful character and this is a good, positive read, although a bit far-fetched at times. I loved visiting in Coal Harbor and this will probably join my list of books to booktalk. 4 cups of cocoa.

My June To-be Read List

This is hosted by Michelle @ Because Reading. Well, I managed to finish and review last month's book. I am doing a bit better with finishing the TBR book early and having more time to work on the review. This month I decided to go with series books I have checked out from the library. I am going to try to participate in COYER starting later this month and I want to finish a few library books, so that I can focus on books I own. This month's contenders are

First Choice:

Aladdin

The first book in this series was a quick easy read and I need to finish a couple of more books for the Mythology challenge. This one focuses on Persephone and her trials at Mount Olympus Academy.

Second Choice:

Viking Books

Edgar and Allan Poe are the great great great grandsons of Edgar Allan Poe. The twins get into mischief caused by their intelligence and other people who want to exploit their uniqueness. Their great great great grandfather tries to help them from the beyond. I really liked the first two books in the series and they were also quick reads.

Third Choice:

HarperCollins

So the first book in this series was my May TBR winner and I ended up really liking it, except for Tedros. I am intrigued by this title and wonder what it means.

Help me choose this month's winner and even if you are not participating in this challenge, you can vote on a book for me. I would love to get more than last month's 5 votes. Thanks!

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

I read this for the Newbery Challenge. I did read this one as a child and was curious how I would fill about it as an adult.

Houghton Mifflin

Anna and Caleb's dad decides he want to find a new wife for himself and a new mother for the children. Their mother had died in childbirth with Caleb and both Anna and Caleb are ready for a new mother. Caleb's father lives out West and his prospective wife is from Maine, where there is the ocean and milder weather. Sarah writes the children and their father letters and decides to visit them. They will know her, because she is "plain and tall." The children want Sarah to stay, but are worried she will leave, because she misses the sea.

When I was younger I loved stories like the Little House series and stories about journeying West in the 1800 and 1900s. This story fit perfectly with those stories and was a quick and easy read. The story talks about some of the hardships of life on the Plains, like fires and bad weather. However it is one that can be read quickly and is told from a child's point of view. It is a good series to pair with the Little House books. While children might find it strange to find a wife by letter, it seems believable when told from Anna and Caleb's eyes. The story is simple and charming and remains a classic read for children today. It has held its entertainment and educational value well over the years. 4 cups of cocoa and I am glad I reread it!

2015 Bookish Resolutions Challenge: May Update

This is hosted by Michelle at Because Reading is Better Than Real Life and Laura at Trips Down Imagination Road and you can sign up at this link.
My resolutions:
1. Read at least 6 Classics this year.
2. Finish at least half of the challenges that I signed up for this year.
3. Finish at least 4 series this year, particularly ones where I have only the last book in the series left to read.
4. Try to blog more, like at least 10 posts a month.
5. Get healthy!

Thanks to Michelle and Laura for hosting!
1. I finished my review for This Side of Paradise and have started reading Roughing It by Mark Twain. I think it will take me awhile to finish, but at least I am making progress here.
2. I have started all but two challenges now and I hope to start these two very soon. I was able to finish my TBR book for the month, so I am happy about that.
3. I have only complete two series so far, but am so close on two others. Hopefully I can get back in the finishing series mood.
4. I had 14 posts this month, so not too shabby. I also have a couple of more in the works, so June should start off nicely.
5. I am failing miserably at this now. I am back to stress eating and not exercising. I am so stressed and miserable at work that I can't get this goal in gear. I am also addicted again to sodas, so that is now helping matters. I hope to try again soon.

Hope everyone is doing well with their resolutions!