May Reflections

In May, I read eleven books. I hope to read more in June. We'll see what happens.

Books reviewed at Becky's Book Reviews


35. The Bad Beginning. (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1) Lemony Snicket. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. 1999. 162 pages. [Source: Library] [j fantasy, mg fantasy, j fiction, mg fiction, 5 stars]

36. The Martian. Andy Weir. 2011. 369 pages. [Source: Library] [adult science fiction, 5 stars, space]

37. Project Hail Mary. Andy Weir. 2021. 476 pages. [Source: Library] [adult science fiction, 5 stars]

38. Wombat Waiting. Katherine Applegate. 2026. 336 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, animal fantasy, j fiction, wildfires, dogs, pets, animals]

39. My Brother Sam is Dead. James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier. 1974. 240 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, mg history, mg fiction]

Books reviewed at Young Readers

32. Barbed Wire Between Us. Mia Wenjen. Illustrated by Violeta Encarnacion. 2026. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, poetry, reverso poetry]
33. Dinos that Drive. Suzy Levinson. Illustrated by Dustin Harbin. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, poetry]
34. Buzz Like a Bee (Board Book) Guilherme Karsten. 2026. 10 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, board book, activity book, interactive books]
35. Board book: This Little Dinosaur. Ingela P. Arrhenius (illustrations). 2026. 10 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, interactive book, dinosaurs]

Books reviewed at Operation Actually Read Bible

12. The Church Mouse. Graham Oakley. 1972. 40 pages. [Source: Bought] [5 stars, picture book, animal fantasy]

Bibles reviewed at Operation Actually Read Bible

4. ESV Women's Study Bible. God. 2021. 2336 pages. [Source: GIFT] [Bible, study Bible, 5 stars]

2026 totals

Totals for 2026
Books Read in 2026	90
Pages Read in 2026	23376
January Totals
Books Read in January	21
Pages Read in January	5119
February Totals
Books read in February	24
Pages Read in February	4225
March Totals
Books read in March	18
Pages read in March	4099
April Totals
Books read in April	16
Pages read in April	6386
May	11
Pages read in May	4067

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Century of Viewing, May

In May, I watched 14 movies.

My two five-star movies were Modern Times and The Running Man (2014).

My four star and four and a half star movies are:

• Robocop (2014)
• Robocop 3
• The Last Starfighter
• Call the Midwife Season 15

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Week in Review #22

This week I reviewed four books!

39. My Brother Sam is Dead. James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier. 1974. 240 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, mg history, mg fiction]
34. Buzz Like a Bee (Board Book) Guilherme Karsten. 2026. 10 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, board book, activity book, interactive books]
35. Board book: This Little Dinosaur. Ingela P. Arrhenius (illustrations). 2026. 10 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, interactive book, dinosaurs]

12. The Church Mouse. Graham Oakley. 1972. 40 pages. [Source: Bought] [5 stars, picture book, animal fantasy]

Century of Viewing #22

I didn't finish a single show or movie this week. BUT I have been watching THREE television shows. Space Precinct (1994/1995), Wonderfools (2026), Timeless (2016-2018).



© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

39. My Brother Sam is Dead

39. My Brother Sam is Dead. James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier. 1974. 240 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, mg history, mg fiction]

First sentence: It was April, and outside in the dark the rain whipped against the windows of our tavern, making a sound like muffled drums.

Premise/plot: My Brother Sam is Dead is historical fiction for middle grade (and/or upper elementary grades). It is set during the American Revolution. The narrator, Timmy Meeker, spends the duration of the book confused by the complexities of war. He isn't really in favor or support of either side. He wants things to go back to normal. He hates that his brother Sam has been kicked out of the family for his "rebel" views and joining up with the Patriots. He knows his dad leans more towards being a Tory or Royalist. But also at the same time his dad has ALL THE OPINIONS that war is the worst thing on the planet.

My thoughts: This was my first time to read My Brother Sam is Dead. When I started it, I thought I would like it more than I did.

I picked up on the anti-war sentiment from the start. That didn't surprise me. I didn't expect war to be glamorized or idolized. I expected the view point to be war is UGLY, war is MESSY, war is TRAUMATIC, war is HORRIBLE. Many if not most books about war--any war--touch upon this ugliness, this trauma, this raw pain, this sorrow.

My Brother Sam Is Dead was written and published towards the end of the Vietnam War. Anti-war sentiment was high. America was also a few years away from celebrating the bicentennial. I don't know if either of these facts had any impact at all on the story these brothers were telling, were sharing. But it doesn't escape my attention that they might have wanted to remind readers that just because the war happened two hundred years ago, doesn't make it any less ugly, horrifying, terrifying, gross, disgusting, revolting, traumatizing. The "cause" they were fighting for did not negate the reality of war being what it fundamentally is. 

I guess what surprised me, and probably shouldn't have, is the way Tim loses his father and his brother. Not the fact that both died--or either died. BUT the how. It isn't so much that Sam Meeker dies in the novel. It is the how and why. The father's death was sad and unnecessary, but it was the brother's death that turns the novel about.

I do think that adult readers may read the book differently perhaps. I'm not sure. I do know that this is a book that I never would have picked up as a kid or teen.

As an adult, I was seeing things not so much through Tim's eyes but through the eyes of his parents.

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Week in Review #21

This week I reviewed four books!

37. Project Hail Mary. Andy Weir. 2021. 476 pages. [Source: Library] [adult science fiction, 5 stars]

38. Wombat Waiting. Katherine Applegate. 2026. 336 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, animal fantasy, j fiction, wildfires, dogs, pets, animals]

32. Barbed Wire Between Us. Mia Wenjen. Illustrated by Violeta Encarnacion. 2026. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, poetry, reverso poetry]

33. Dinos that Drive. Suzy Levinson. Illustrated by Dustin Harbin. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, poetry]


Century of Viewing #21

1930s

• 1936 Modern Times. Charlie Chaplin is "The Tramp." In this one he goes through many, many, many, many jobs. There's always a reason why the job never lasts. He can't seem to do anything right, but, he does fall in love with a young woman also experiencing hard times. Together they will face the uncertain future with a SMILE. This one does feature the song "Smile" as an instrumental theme throughout. There were a handful of scenes that were extremely comedic and truly memorable.

2010s

• 2012 Iron Sky. This sci-fi comedy parody is all kinds of weird and eccentric. I didn't love it. But it is certainly unique and different and quirky and odd.

2020s

• 2022. 5-25-77. Coming of age drama. A young aspiring film-maker who loves, loves, loves sci-fi makes a big decision about his future after seeing Star Wars. It is part coming of age, part friend drama, part romance. I liked it fine. It was LONG.
• 2024 Why Dinosaurs. This is a documentary about why people love dinosaurs -- broadly, generally. It covered a little bit of everything. It got extremely very preachy there at the end. I'm not sure they ever really stayed on topic, BUT, it was a father-son documentary and the enthusiasm the son had for dinosaurs was fun to see.
• 2025 Jurassic World: Rebirth. My expectations were incredibly super super super low. Just watch a few review or reaction videos and you'd think this was the worst movie ever filmed ever in any year--dinosaur or not. It doesn't meet that expectation of awfulness. If you expect *that* then you might be pleasantly surprised that it's mildly decent.

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

38. Wombat Waiting

38. Wombat Waiting. Katherine Applegate. 2026. 336 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, animal fantasy, j fiction, wildfires, dogs, pets, animals]

First sentence: Yep,
her name is Wombat,
and nope,
she's not a wombat.
True, there's
a passing resemblance,
If you squint just right.
She's stout and sturdy,
stubby-legged,
with silly ears
that look like furry cookies,
but just for the record,
she is,
most definitely,
a dog.

Premise/plot: Wombat Waiting is a novel in verse starring a destiny dog, Wombat. Wombat and Henry are meant to be--a matter of destiny. But Henry is scared of dogs and Wombat is a stray. They live miles apart. Have never met. A wildfire starts. Wombat hears a voice, the voice of destiny, telling her to run towards the fire, to get closer and closer to where the fire is burning. Henry, meanwhile, is fleeing (with his two moms and some neighbors and their bunnies?) away from the fire. Life becomes not regular at all. But Wombat knows that she is running towards her destiny. But it may take a lot of WAITING, waiting, and more waiting before Henry knows that Wombat is his dog.

My thoughts: I like this one. I do. I have enjoyed many of Katherine Applegate's books. I don't love, love, love this one. But I do like it. I do think it has a few great quotes. (I'll share my favorite below).

Quotes:
How could she say
I will be more than a friend--
I will be your beating heart?

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

37. Project Hail Mary

37. Project Hail Mary. Andy Weir. 2021. 476 pages. [Source: Library] [adult science fiction, 5 stars]

First sentence: "What's two plus two?" Something about the question irritates me. I'm tired. I drift back to sleep. A few minutes pass, then I hear it again.

Premise/plot: Earth is in great, great danger. But the sole surviving member of the team sent to try to save it, has no memory. His memory will come in bits and pieces as he tries to remember his mission and purpose. It will turn out that Earth isn't the only planet in danger--there is a threat to many star systems or galaxies. It may take teaming up with an alien species to save both worlds.

Ryland Grace and Rocky are in some ways an unlikely pair, but, as they learn each other--each other's languages, each other's sciences, each other's characters and personality--they may be just what the other needed to succeed.

My thoughts: I have not seen the movie. I didn't really watch movie reviews and reactions until after I read the book. I knew this one involved a certain degree of self-sacrifice because it doesn't take any searching out to have heard that. And that is fairly typical for fiction--fantasy novels (Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Narnia, etc) or science fiction (it would be harder to think of science fiction that doesn't have some degree of self-sacrifice). I really enjoyed reading this one. For me, I loved the "current" sections. I wasn't as thrilled by all the flashback scenes, though I suppose I may change my mind when I see the movie. I was invested in the "now" and the problem-solving and the suspense of what will happen next. I didn't care as much about the past.

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Week in Review #20

I am feeling so much better! But I only finished two books! (Still haven't read that stack of picture books!)

35. The Bad Beginning. (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1) Lemony Snicket. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. 1999. 162 pages. [Source: Library] [j fantasy, mg fantasy, j fiction, mg fiction, 5 stars]
36. The Martian. Andy Weir. 2011. 369 pages. [Source: Library] [adult science fiction, 5 stars, space]

Century of Viewing #20

2020s

• 2025 Afterlight Five stories with some sci-fi elements. (Though strong horror elements as well for some). These are NOT connected in any way. I could have sworn that the description said they were. They weren't. The first story was thought-provoking, intriguing, showed great potential. The second story was intense and emotional perhaps a little too dark. Left more questions than answers. The third, fourth, and fifth stories were a complete waste of time. The third story might have been fleshed out into something larger which would allow for the mystery and suspense to be developed and an actual story told. The fourth story was just weak--in terms of script and acting maybe. It's very very hard to distinguish the two. Actors can only say what the script says. The fifth story was BORING. If the fifth had been the third would it have been as boring? Maybe. Maybe not.
• 2026 Call the Midwife, season 15 I loved the finale. I was SOBBING through portions of it. Did I love every single scene? Probably not. The series as a whole--all eight episodes--I would say I was mostly disappointed. The last two episodes were turning things around. I wish the last few seasons had been better. There are things that I just haven't liked, haven't wanted, haven't enjoyed. BUT the finale reminded me of all the reasons I CARE.

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

36. The Martian

36. The Martian. Andy Weir. 2011. 369 pages. [Source: Library] [adult science fiction, 5 stars, space]

First sentence: I'm pretty much f***ed.  That's my considered opinion.

Premise/plot: It's all a matter of perspective if Mark Watney is lucky or unlucky. One could argue that he's unlucky to be stranded on Mars and battling for survivor cut off almost completely from the human race, from Earth. Limited resources--though plenty of mystery novels, disco, and 70s sitcoms. One could also argue that he's incredibly lucky--lucky that he survived the original accident, lucky that he recovered, lucky that he's skilled and resourceful enough to put to use every thing he has as a resource, lucky that he has a positive outlook.

Most of the novel IS from his point of view. Though we get brief updates from those on earth about how to rescue Mark.

My thoughts: I loved the movie. I loved the book. BOTH were excellent.

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

35. The Bad Beginning

35. The Bad Beginning. (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1) Lemony Snicket. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. 1999. 162 pages. [Source: Library] [j fantasy, mg fantasy, j fiction, mg fiction, 5 stars]

First sentence: If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book. IN this book, not only is there no happy ending, there is no happy beginning and very few happy things in the middle.

Premise/plot: The three Baudelaire orphans--Violet, Klaus, and Sunny--star in Lemony Snicket's over-the-top Series of Unfortunate Events. The book opens with the three learning that their parents are gone and so is their home--in a mysterious fire. They soon find themselves "living" with their "closest" relative, Count Olaf.

I listened to the audio book narrated by Tim Curry and a full cast. I've also seen the feature film and a few episodes of the series.

My thoughts: I love the writing, the narration. The story itself is extreme and over-the-top. I loved the movie--which I believe combines the plot of the first three books. I do plan on reading more in the series.


© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Week in Review #19

This week I reviewed only one book--and that was last Saturday night! I've been sick--sadly.

ESV Women's Study Bible. God. 2021. 2336 pages. [Source: GIFT] [Bible, study Bible, 5 stars]

Century of Viewing #19

1980s

• 1984 The Last Starfighter    Alex Rogan plays a LOT of an arcade game. But the arcade game leads to a real life adventure, and the guy who has always wanted to leave his small town trailer park, well, he begins to question if he has what it takes to be an actual actual starfighter. It was interesting to see Robert Preston as an alien!

2000s

• 2002/2003 Forsyte Saga 2 Series. 13 Episodes. Much soap-iness. It has been a while since I read the books but it fairly seemed to go along with what I remembered plus or minus a few whines. I haven't watched the new series yet, and I'm not sure when I'll get to it. More unlikeable characters than likeable characters but much drama.

2010s

• 2012 Cold Light of Day Would I recommend it? NO. Are there worse ways to spend two hours? Probably. Possibly. Would I rather go to the dentist? YES. I have a great dentist. (We talk about movies and books!) I can't really think of anything I actively liked about this movie. Except it has been fun to watch reactions and reviews.

2020s

• 2025 The Running Man I read the book relatively recently. And I've never been more shocked that a movie was mostly relatively almost faithful to the book!!!! This movie shares little in common with the 80s original action movie. It is dystopia. It is dark. BUT I definitely preferred it not only to the original 80s movie BUT to the book as well.

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Week in Review #18

This week I reviewed three books.

 If You Lived During the American Revolution. Chris Newell. Illustrated by Steffi Walthall. 2026. 88 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, history, nonfiction]

Board book: 1, 2, 3, Can You Count Along? Alice Hemming. Illustrated by Nichola Slater. 2026. 10 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars]

 Board book: Edwina The Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct. Mo Willems. 2006/2026. 38 pages. [Source: Library] [animal fantasy]


Century of Viewing #18

1980s

• 1981 Caveman Am I the target audience for this movie? No. Did I enjoy elements of it? For the most part--to some extent. Atouk loves Lana. Well, love is an extreme exaggeration. I don't think love has a bit to do with it. At all. Lana 'belongs' to Tonda. Lana seems more than okay with being 'his' woman. When Atouk is kicked out (literally) from the clan, he teams up with a series of misfits and outcasts. Together they discover, fire, musical instruments, sling shots, etc., Meanwhile, Tala is developing romantic feelings for Atouk. But he's all Lana, Lana, Lana. Can this cave romance have a happy ending? ALSO: there are dinosaurs.
• 1987 Robocop Apparently the YT free with ads version of Robocop is heavily censored and missing quite a bit of the movie (a difference of at least ten minutes). I am glad I watched Robocop. It was a fun action movie.

1990s

• 1990 Robocop 2 I liked it just as much as the first movie!
• 1993 Robocop 3 I definitely enjoyed this one!!! Each of the Robocop movies is unique in some ways. This one is set at Christmas. It has new villains. What I appreciate most about this one is that this is the movie where Robocop 'finds' his own 'found' family. There are some sweet, tender scenes in this one. Plenty of action, mind you. IT is Robocop after all. But I like these three movies.
• 1994 Without Warning This is a modern twist on the 1937 War of the Worlds scare. It is BLEAKITY-BLEAK which felt right.

2000s

• 2004 Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. I have not read the book. But the movie was super fun! I loved, loved, loved baby Sunny! And all the characters were fun. It is a dark comedy for sure, but, it had some moments with all the feels.

2010s

• 2014 Robocop. Is it a copy of the original movie? No. The movies are very different from each other--in almost every way. I liked them both. THIS one does have its strengths. I liked many, many, many things about it! The characters do feel more human AND the wife and child play a much larger part in the story.

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews