Ricki – Unleashing Readers

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 9/14/26

September 14, 2026September 14, 2026 by Ricki

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

Wednesday: Educators’ Guide for Sneaks by Amy Tern

Sunday: “The Book That Taught Me to Ask WHAT IF?” by Jonathan White, Author of Secret of the Second Shelf

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Kellee

It’s my week off! You can learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

Young Adult

I enjoyed Gail Jarrow’s Spirit Sleuths, which explored the impact of magicians and detectives on ghost hoaxes.

The Pools by e. lockhart is an eery and symbolic novel that explores self-harm with the use of birds. It is a very powerful text, and I found it to be unforgettable.

If you are teaching The Crucible, you absolutely need to read (and include) Joy McCullough’s Suffer a Witch. It is her memoir of sexual assault, and layered within are the stories of the accusations of witches across time and place.

Adult

Because Margaret Atwood is speaking at the NCTE convention this year, I reread The Handmaid’s Tale! I love this book.

Adult Romance

I read the first book in Elsie Silver’s Rose Hill series, and I jumped to the fourth book, Wild Card, because I was getting a book for my birthday. I really liked this book a lot and found myself captivated by the romance! It made me want to do yoga! Elsie Silver is very talented at writing characters.

Joss Richard’s Let’s Kiss and Tell is a sweet romance that was very fun!

I don’t usually read historical romances, but this one was on a GoodReads challenge list. Sophia Benoit’s The Very Definition of Love is about a woman who is making a dictionary of all of the romantic words she doesn’t know. It was a great read.

Count me in for any bookstore romance, and I liked Brittanée Nicole’s Bonfire & Bliss Bookstore a lot!

I Reread These Texts to Teach Them Last Week!

I used Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer in my Banned Books and Censorship class this week, and it fostered a LOT of conversation! The students loved it.

I always start with Angeline Boulley’s Firekeeper’s Daughter as an anchor text because it allows for great critical analyses. It is also a widely loved text, so I really enjoy discussing it with students.

We discussed Maria van Lieshout’s Song of Blackbird in one of the book groups, and it was widely appreciated. It gives students a lot to talk about!

Currently reading with my son: Everything’s Not Lost by Frederick Joseph

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Writing from the Margins” by Romina Garber, Author of Lobizona & Cazadora

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on other linked blogs. If you post about your Monday post, tag the post with #IMWAYR!

and

Sofia’s YA Book Nook: Guard Your Heart by Sue Divin

September 2, 2026 by Ricki

Sofia is a 14-year-old brilliant reader who aspires to be a book reviewer. Since she was 8 years old, on select weeks, Sofia shares her favorite books with other young people her age! She is one of the most well-read youth that we know, so she is highly qualified for this role! She talks about it below, but you can find her on Instagram here!

Hi readers! Before you read this review, I just wanted to let you all know about my new Instagram account, @sofias_ya_book_nook! On this account, I will be posting each time a new review comes out, along with some other types of fun book posts. I would really appreciate it if you checked out my page and followed so you can stay up to date! Thank you, and without further ado, onto the review!

Dear readers,

Let me introduce you to a book that will truly transport you into Northern-Irish society, Guard Your Heart by Sue Divin! This Romeo and Juliet-style love story shows the harsh divide between Catholics and Protestants in Northern-Ireland. I learned a lot about Irish history, including the Troubles, and how those events still impact society today. This wonderful story is told from two perspectives, Aidan, a Catholic boy living in Derry, and Iona, a Protestant girl living in Londonderry. They live in the same town but refer to it differently, demonstrating one of the many divides between the religious groups. Aiden is ambushed late at night and beaten up, because of his Catholic beliefs, which leads Iona to save him. They slowly become friends, defying the societal barriers built between them.

Goodreads Summary

Derry. Summer 2016. Aidan and Iona, now eighteen, were both born on the day of the Northern Ireland peace deal. Aidan is Catholic, Irish, and Republican.

With his ex-political prisoner father gone and his mother dead, Aidan’s hope is pinned on exam results earning him a one-way ticket out of Derry. To anywhere. Iona, Protestant and British, has a brother and father in the police. She’s got university ambitions, a strong faith and a fervent belief that boys without one track minds are a myth. At a post-exam party, Aidan wanders alone across the Peace Bridge and becomes the victim of a brutal sectarian attack. Iona witnessed the attack; picked up Aidan’s phone and filmed what happened, and gets in touch with him to return the phone. When the two meet, alone and on neutral territory, the differences between them seem insurmountable. Both their fathers held guns, but safer to keep that secret for now. Despite their differences and the secrets they have to keep from each other, there is mutual intrigue, and their friendship grows. And so what? It’s not the Troubles. But for both Iona and Aidan it seems like everything is keeping them apart, when all they want is to be together …

My Thoughts

I picked this book up at a local bookstore when I was visiting Ireland this summer. I was looking for a book by a local author that could immerse me in Irish culture and teach me about the country I was visiting. I did not expect this powerful book to be such a rollercoaster of emotions! The struggles Aidan and Iona faced in their day-to-day lives were truly eye opening. I love the power books have to fully immerse readers into new places and this novel did just that! Filled with Irish sayings and historical references, I really felt as if I was an Irish teen. The amount of political tension in this tiny Northern-Irish town was wild. This “forbidden romance” does a great job of portraying the stress Northern-Irish teens face when just trying to be themselves. While this definitely wasn’t a light read, I still found it to be easily enjoyable!

Guard Your Heart is a YA novel, but still features mature themes of drinking, drugs, domestic violence, alcoholism, gun violence, suicidal thoughts and the death of a parent.

**Thanks so much, Sofia!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 8/31/26

August 31, 2026August 31, 2026 by Ricki

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

Happy reading!

Wednesday: A Cheeky Reading List of Hilarious Picture Books About Butts from Sourcebooks Kids

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Teaching the Next Generation About September 11th” by Jacqueline Joyce, Author of Smoke at the Pentagon

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Kellee

It’s my week off! You can always learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

It’s back to school, and I am very busy! I will update about my books next time!

Wednesday: Sofia’s YA Book Nook: Guard Your Heart by Sue Divin

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Empathy and Gratitude Through Immigration Stories” by Nazanin Agange Ford, Author of My America Blooms

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 8/17/26

August 17, 2026 by Ricki

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

Happy reading!

Wednesday: Educators’ Guide for The Metamorphosis of Bunny Baxter by Barbara Carroll Roberts

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “The Facts About Creating Fiction” by Amy Fellner Dominy, Author of Monster Down Deep

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Kellee

It’s my week off! You can always learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

I’ll be back to reading more young adult books now that the semester is starting! But for now, I read a few more adult novels.

Adult

I had been seeing a lot of praise for The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso, and it was a wonderful read. I particularly liked the way the author interpreted time travel.

Obviously, The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett has been mentioned everywhere. I listened to all 29 hours. It reminded me a lot of The Help in the writing style (not surprising because it is the same author!). I liked it a lot. It definitely has a White gaze element to it, but I find that interesting to ponder as I read. I really appreciate how Stockett builds character and teaches me a bit about history. The book was highly engaging!

Adult Romance

Annabel Monaghan’s Summer Romance is a rom-com with lots to smile about. I really liked it. The last third is a lot of romance. I liked the build up in the first two-thirds best. A great book, overall!

I love sports romances, and Anna McCallie’s Abby Offsides did not disappoint. I am married to a soccer player, so I loved the soccer references! This one doesn’t disappoint.

I pulled this one right off the table at a bookstore when I was visiting family. As I was checking out, another woman had the same book in her hand and told me the first one was incredible. I didn’t even realize this was a book two! Meghan Quinn’s Just For the Plot is a sports romance—although there aren’t a lot of sports in it. It’s mainly about the relationship between a man and his sister’s best friend. The sister’s best friend is eight years his senior, and he has had a crush on her since he was 16 years old. I couldn’t put this book down. It’s very fun and kept my interest from cover to cover. I’ll likely be following this series!

I have one more book in the GoodReads challenges to do before September 15, so I’ll be perusing those titles tonight!

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “The Child Who Feels Different: What They Need from Adults in the Room” by Dr. Nahal Delpassand, Author of The Seasons of Little Tree

and

Sofia’s YA Book Nook: The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

August 5, 2026 by Ricki

Sofia is a 13-year-old brilliant reader who aspires to be a book reviewer. Since she was 8 years old, on select weeks, Sofia shares her favorite books with other young people her age! She is one of the most well-read youth that we know, so she is highly qualified for this role! She talks about it below, but you can find her on Instagram here!

Dear readers,

Let me introduce, The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, a fast-paced thriller that kept me HOOKED!! The plot twists were genuinely insane and never failed to surprise me! This book feels like the perfect rainy day read, just make sure you have plenty of time since you won’t want to get up until you’re finished! It feels like there is non-stop tension between all the characters, making each new page a surprise. Millie is a housemaid with a criminal record at the house of the affluent Winchesters. She was hired by Nina, a seemingly crazy woman with extreme and strict demands for Millie. Then, there is Andrew and Cecelia, an exemplary father-daughter duo. This perfect family is unraveling at the seams and Millie just happens to be along for the ride.

Goodreads Summary

Don’t miss the New York Times and USA Today bestseller and addictive psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist that’s burning up Instagram and TikTok-Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid is perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, Lisa Jewell, and Verity. Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband. I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late. But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am. They don’t know what I’m capable of…

My Thoughts

At some points, this book truly felt like I was watching a movie! I read this novel in a book club, which I highly recommend as it was super fun to discuss all of our predictions. Unfortunately, that meant that I was only ever able to read about 100 pages, which is the only thing that prevented me from finishing this book in one sitting! During the course of the story, I was constantly changing how I thought the end was going to play out. This story seemed well balanced in terms of pace and development, as some characters seem purposefully left in the shadows at the beginning as more is revealed toward the end. The entire book has a very unsettling and ominous mood which keeps you on your toes. The ending was fantastic and tied up any loose threads expertly. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series!

The Housemaid is an adult novel characterized by the prevalence of violence, infertility, domestic abuse, profanity and death.

**Thanks so much, Sofia!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 8/3/26

August 3, 2026August 3, 2026 by Ricki

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

Happy reading!

Wednesday: Fatal Glitch: Camp Zero and Let’s Play a Game by Erin Entrada Kelly and Eliot Schrefer

Friday: Student Voices: The Power of Books from Mina Y. and Mily R.

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “The Magical Science of Graphic Novels” by Matthew Manning, Author of The Spark Experiment

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Kellee

It’s my week off! You can always learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

I am unable to post this week but hope you have a great reading week!

Exciting news!: Our teen blogger, Sofia, has a new Instagram page! You can follow her here!

Wednesday: Sofia’s YA Book Nook: The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

Friday: Student Voices: Negative Effects from Oscarie C. and Rutva P.

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Activities with Adventures in the City of Stories” by Emma Otheguy, Author of Adventure in the City of Stories

and

Sofia’s YA Book Nook: We’re a Bad Idea, Right by K. L. Walther

July 22, 2026 by Ricki

Dear readers,

If you are looking for the perfect romantic and fun read for the summer, let me introduce We’re a Bad Idea Right? by K.L. Walther! I have been wanting to pick up a book by this author for a long time because of the fun cover art and raving reviews. This relaxed read would be a nice vacation book as it is easy to read and positive! I am glad to say that I look forward to reading more of her novels.

Goodreads Summary

This stunning first edition of We’re A Bad Idea, Right? will feature special designed edges! The business of love gets messy when two best friends decide to fake a romantic relationship in this uproarious and swoony novel by the bestselling author of The Summer of Broken Rules. Audrey Barbour has had enough of following the rules. Eighteen years of being the perfect daughter-exceptional grades, enviable college acceptances, tame dating history-and still, her parents don’t trust her enough to let her study her passion, glassblowing, on a prestigious fellowship. So when her best friend Henry proposes an outrageous fake-dating scheme to win back his ex-girlfriend, it feels like the first step to shaking up her perfect life. And the second? That comes when Audrey’s parents go out of town, sparking a high-risk, high-reward solution to pay for her fellowship-renting out her family’s Connecticut mansion online. With the help of her new fake-boyfriend, it shouldn’t be hard to pull off… right? But when her best intentions start to unravel, Audrey will have to reckon with who she is, what she wants, and what it really means to play life by her rules-all with her heart on the line.

My Thoughts

Everything about this book is very immersive. I found myself getting sucked into it and forgetting about reality because of the cute characters and setting. Audrey is a likeable main character who seeks to forge her own path as a glassblower, a career path that her affluent parents would have never considered. At times, she finds herself questioning whether chasing her dreams is really the right choice when she has a college offer at UPenn Wharton that her wealthy parents are happy to sponsor. Her parents see glassblowing as a hobby, not a future. This forces Audrey to decide between pleasing her parents or living the way she wants to. While sorting out her academic life, Audrey’s close friend Henry gets broken up with. They decide that the best way for Henry to get back with his ex is an elaborate fake dating scheme. The only issue is, Audrey could discover some feelings for him. When Audrey takes a leap of faith and commits to Blueridge while her parents are away on vacation, she needs to figure out how to tell them, and pay the $10,000 fee. She has less than half of that in her savings and needs to find a way to pay it back to her parents before they notice it in their missing bank account statements. Luckily, their house has a beautifully designed guest house which could be rented out to tenants. Sounds like the perfect plan, right?

We’re a Bad Idea Right? is a YA novel which includes the mature theme of alcohol.

**Thanks so much, Sofia!**