Search This Blog







2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2025 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas
- California (5)
- Colorado (3)
- Connecticut
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (2)
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine (2)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (1)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico
- New York (6)
- North Carolina (3)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (1)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (3)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
- Australia (3)
- Canada (3)
- England (12)
- France (2)
- Italy (1)
- Norway (1)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- Scotland (1)


2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge



2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge









Monday, April 01, 2019
Seven People Crammed on a 38-Foot Catamaran for a Year? April Fool's! Or Not ...
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
"I didn't care whether the kids liked sailing or not. I wanted them to like being a family."
--Emily Orton (from an uncorrected proof of Seven at Sea)
In an effort to downsize, minimize, simplify, and focus on the things that matter most in life, my family and I have decided to sell our houses, get rid of all our stuff, and buy a boat. The six of us will be living on a 38-foot catamaran for a year while we sail around the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and anywhere else that takes our fancy. We'll be leaving behind jobs, friends, school, and most of my books (gasp!) for this once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience real family togetherness while exploring new places and testing our gumption on the open sea. Never fear—I will continue blogging from the "road". At least when I have Wi-Fi. And access to new books. Or maybe I'll just write my own story. Sound good?

In Seven at Sea, Erik and Emily recount the adventure with all its ups and downs. Their account is personal and intimate as they write honestly about what went spectacularly wrong (constant boat repairs, inclement weather, injury, conflict between family members, etc.), and what went gloriously right (meeting other cruisers, seeing new vistas, family time without distraction, etc.). Like any travelogue, parts of this one feel redundant and dull (did I mention all the repairs?), while other sections are more exciting. Overall, though, Seven at Sea makes for a compelling read. Not gonna lie—the Ortons didn't convince me to sell everything and sail around the world with my family, but it was interesting to learn about why and how they did it.
(Readalikes: Hm, I don't read many books like this, so I'm not sure what to compare it to. You?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for non-graphic references to sex and scenes of peril
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Seven at Sea from the generous folks at Shadow Mountain Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Subscribe to:
Posts
(Atom)


Reading
Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery

Listening
This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber


Followin' with Bloglovin'

-
Beijing Payback by Daniel Nieh2 hours ago
-
What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane3 hours ago
-
-
61. Snowglobe7 hours ago
-
-
McCourt, Malachy "A Monk Swimming"11 hours ago
-
-
-
-
Books Read in May 202523 hours ago
-
-
Tempting Tait1 day ago
-
-
Sounds Like Love1 day ago
-
Sunday Salon: June 22, 20251 day ago
-
-
-
What We Left Behind by Luisa A. Jones1 day ago
-
-
First Lines Fridays: June 20, 20253 days ago
-
A Review of Anatomy of a Violin4 days ago
-
-
-
-
A couple of quick reviews2 weeks ago
-
-
No Roundup this month1 month ago
-
-
-
Sunday Post #5682 months ago
-
-
February 2025 Reading Wrap Up3 months ago
-
One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery3 months ago
-
-
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October7 months ago
-
Review: The Duke and I10 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus11 months ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-

Grab my Button!


Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ▼ 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)


2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
