Normal is boring anyways…

The Last Exit to Normal: a novel by Michael Harmon

Ben’s life is far from normal – and has been that way since the day his father informed Ben and his mother that he was gay. Ben’s mother took off, leaving the fourteen-year-old Ben to not only come to terms to his father’s sexuality, but also with the abandonment of his mother.

Ben acts out. His grades drop. He gets drunk, does assorted drugs (before settling on weed as his drug of choice), and gets in to all sorts of trouble.

But that was then. Three years later - after making a deal with his dad to clean up his act for a year to be able to obtain his drivers license, Ben gets caught up in one last mistake with his old friends. This causes his father and his “momdad” to make the decision to move from big city life in Spokane, Washington, to very small town life in eastern Montana. It’s a major adjustment for Ben, who must learn respect for himself and for those around him.

I love Ben’s since of humor and style, as well as that of Edward (his “momdad”). The conflict between Ben and his father rings true, as does the non-nonsense attitude of Edward’s mother, Miss Mae.

Story was great – but a little too tidy in places. The ending was almost fairytale like…which I found annoying. Beyond that, I really did enjoy the book.

The west is still wild

Late last night I finished reading Ghost Medicine by Andrew Smith. Wow. This is an excellent book, and one that I couldn’t wait to get back to reading. As can be noted by my 2:30 a.m. bedtime last night.


Troy Stotts is about to leave his childhood behind forever.

The summer of his sixteenth year is a summer of challenges and changes. It is a summer of loss and of love.

It begins with the loss of his mother, after a long battle with a fatal illness, and ends with the death of three boys. The tale between is rich with deep friendships and the politics and animosity of small town life in the west. Troy’s life will never be the same.

This was a book group pick from last month that is carrying over to our next meeting.

Books for a variety of ages...

Heartsinger by Karlign Stoffels - Perhaps something was lost in translation. This book was originally published in Dutch. It is the tale of two teenagers who have a magical gift of song. One is the singer of sorrows. The other is the singer of joy. This is also the tale of several of the people who they sing for – including a princess who does nothing but sit and look at herself in the mirror all day.

*yawn* Why did I think this sounded like a good book? I did finish it…but it was only 134 pages long.

For last month’s book group, I read Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve. The premise of the tale is an interesting one – the story of King Arthur as seen through the eyes of a child raised by Merlin (or Myrddin as he is called in the book). The story falls short, though, leaving the reading wanting more….something. Too often the text seems so flat.

I also finished the book 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass. Now, this is a story that I really enjoyed. Written for that tween group, it is the story of Amanda and Leo. Both were born on the same day. After overhearing Leo say something unkind, Amanda leaves their 10th birthday party – and doesn’t speak to Leo again. A year goes by, and the two are going to celebrate their birthdays separately for the first time in their lives. After a lackluster day, Amanda wakes up the next morning – not to the day after her 11th birthday, but to relive the unhappy birthday all over again! Can Amanda figure out why she keeps reliving the same day over and over again, or will she be cursed to relive her eleventh birthday for the rest of her life?

The story’s basic plot reminds me of the movie Groundhog Day. That’s not a bad thing…I like that movie! Well written and an overall fun book, this story is about forgiveness and friendship. It is one of my favorite books so far this year!

I’m still listening to Drums of Autumn, and am nearly halfway through! I am reading Ghost Medicine by Andrew Smith (a book club pick – and an excellent story) and Wintergirls (also a book club pick – which I just started). I think I am going to return The Shadow in the North. I’m just not getting into the story at all.

Living spiritually....and enough with the vampires!

I finally finished Obsidian Butterfly by Laurell K. Hamilton. It seems like I’ve been reading it for months. Perhaps because I have been? While not really a lengthy book, I was having a hard time making myself finish it - mostly because I am over the character and the crazy storylines. While I understand that a reader should expect gore and graphic scenes in a series whose main character hunts vampires and raises zombies for a living, I think that in this novel the author went a bit too far. Namely the scene in the hospital nursery.

So, this is the last book I plan to read in the Anita Blake vampire hunter series. I might try Hamilton’s other series…but not for a while!

The other book I finished reading on Monday was The Year of Living Biblically by A. J. Jacobs. This was an impulse buy. Recently, Borders had their educator appreciation week. As a public library employee, I can also use the 25% discount. Awesome! I think the hubby and I spent about $85 on books the weekend he was home!

So, I saw this book as I was walking towards the front of the store. It looked funny and intriguing. I started reading it about 15 minutes after I bought it (while I was out eating dinner), and was instantly sucked in.

The book is a memoir (of sorts). The author decided that he might be missing something in his life by not raising his son with religion. So, he decides to do some major research…and to live life for one year by the rules of the Bible. The literal rules. You know them…thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not lie, thou shalt not wear linen and wool in one garment, thou shalt not cut your beard…

The spiritual quest is documented throughout the book. Jacobs has a crew of religious advisors, ranging from Orthodox rabbis to a “Pastor out to Pasture”. He visits a Creationist Museum in Kentucky, stays at an Amish Bed and Breakfast in Pennsylvania, and meets his infamous ex-uncle Gil in Israel.

I thought this book was excellent, and am looking forward to reading his other book, Know it All.

Current reads: Right now I’m listening to Drums of Autumn – I’m about a third of the way through…I think. Maybe just a fourth. It’s a long audiobook!! I’m reading The Shadow in the North by Phillip Pullman. I want to finish it this weekend so I can watch – and return – the BBC movie based on the book.

I have a growing stack of books in my office, and am unsure which I’ll start reading next. There are so many to choose from!