Analog Church

Subtitled: Why We Need Real People, Places, and Things in the Digital Age 
Nonfiction by Jay Y. Kim

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

My pastor assigned me this book to read for church.

That sounds terrible, but it was actually a pretty insightful book, and not painful to read.

Moment in Time

 Fiction by Suzanne Redfearn. 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Mo and Chloe, characters who were introduced as teenagers in In an Instant by this same author, are twenty-something roommates in this story. They face a new crisis when trouble comes to their third roommate Hazel, a quiet and vulnerable girl.

This book was very good, fast-paced but with good characters. You don't have to read the other book to understand this one, but it would be better to read that one first probably. I have enjoyed everything I've read by this author.

I also read by this author: Hush Little Baby

On the Come Up

 Fiction by Angie Thomas.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Bri Jackson is fifteen and hoping to become a rapper like her dad, who was murdered when she was a toddler. But she doesn't really want to embrace the gang culture that got him killed. Can she stay true to herself and make it in the music business?

This was a great story, set in the same (fictional) neighborhood as The Hate U Give but with different characters.

I also read recently by this author: Concrete Rose

Leota's Garden

 Fiction by Francine Rivers.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Leota Rhinehart is an old woman estranged from her daughter and declining in health. It seems like  nothing will change for her, but when her granddaughter comes back into her life, there is hope for reconciliation.

I liked this book but didn't love it. Others by this author are better.

I also read by this author: The Masterpiece

Memoirs and Misinformation

 Fiction by Jim Carrey

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Jim Carrey's summation of this book is: "None of this is real and all of this is true."

If you said, "Huh?" then welcome to the club. I didn't get it either, and unfortunately I didn't get this book. It's supposed to be a peek into Mr. Carrey's mind but in a fictional way?

Also it wasn't funny. I mark this one DNF--Did Not Finish.

Rush

 Fiction by Lisa Patton

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This was an interesting story about sorority rush at University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). I liked the characters and the setting, and it explored some ideas about race and class well.

It was a good book with a happy ending.

Billy's Story

 Nonfiction by Louise Allen.

https://www.amazon.com

After the last book I read by this author (see below), I thought there couldn't be a more outrageous foster-child origin story than that one. But this one is at least as strange!

Billy's family of origin is a weird cult-like compound led by an autocratic patriarch, in which there are twenty-six (!!) siblings with various mothers (and possibly even various fathers). How will foster carer Louise Allen help this poor little five-year-old?

I have enjoyed all of Louise Allen's books, although she can tend to spend too much time "on the soapbox" when I'd rather focus on the story. However, I understand she is passionate about the issue of child protection so I'll forgive her.

I also read recently by this author: Sky's Story