Well, I made it. I’m ready for this summer to heal and collect my thoughts. I am ready to reflect and most importantly rest. My therapist asked me this year what is the biggest way you changed as a teacher and I’d say I have become infinitely more compassionate and much more vocal when I don’t think things are right for the kids. These are so many chasms in our public education system as it stands and if it I sit and think about it for too long it fills me with a rage so deep that I can find it hard to breath. I don’t know how much longer I will be a teacher but I don’t think I am done yet. There still so much I want to accomplish in the classroom and there is still no greater feeling for me that filling a kids heart with joy. At the end of the day it is the small moments that have sustained me and although this year was total crap we truly made the most of it. Kids have so much to offer and teach us, if only more were willing to open their hearts and listen. But to all my teachers leaving the profession. I see you, I love you and I hope you are so proud of yourself. I know I will take the time and space I need to refill my soul this summer and continue learning because next year it is f****ing on.

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A beloved here and the winner of the Women’s Prize for fiction, it is a standout in the historicial fiction genre and one I highly recommend to readers everywhere.

Following Sashi, a sister with four brothers, as she embarks on becoming a doctor during the beginning of the Sri Lankan Civil War, this novel blurs the line between nonfiction and fiction. Told in sharp and matter of fact propose, I was completely invested in this one. I read page after page on the internet about the Civil War in Sri Lanka. The author told this story so well. In war there are no winners, no saints, no “good guys”. There are just people doing everything they can to survive. Everyoneloses. It asks the reader to bear witness because really what else can I do as the reader. There is so much more I can say about this but really just go read it. A sharp book I am so glad I got around to reading. And I hope you get to it soon too.

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This book is 650 or so pages and I absolutely savored each one. Told through multiple point of views of a four person family, I bow down to Paul Murray and his writing abilities. From the get go you have this creeping sensation that something awful is going to happen. Not a page felt wasted. This is a heavy read. A sad book about finding yourself but doing everything you can to battle what is inside you because you are so afraid no one will love you if they really see what is buried inside. It’s about so much more than just that though and I really really loved it.

And holy moly. That ending. I haven’t read an ending so creative in a long time. I personally love endings like this one but I’ll let you experience it for yourself.

I recommend this book if you enjoy family sagas and multiple point of views.

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