Book group rocks

This past Sunday was book group night.  Have I mentioned how much I love my book group?  If I haven’t, then let me tell you.  I love this group a lot!  Not only because we discuss books, but also because it is made up of some wonderful friends and colleagues. 

Due to our busy schedules, we don’t meet every month, though we do try.  What we read varies, but is always a book – or few – written for youth.  Usually we are reading the same title, but the past two meetings we changed it up a bit. In January, we each choose two books from the 2014 Morris and YALSA Non-fiction finalists.  This past meeting we each choose two books from the 2014 Sibert/YALSA Non-fiction and Newbery/Printz winners and honors (one each non-fiction and fiction title).  Even though we hadn’t all read the same books, we still had a lively discussion about the titles we did read. Since I enjoyed this new format, we are doing it again in April.  One of our members really wants to further discuss Morris finalist Charm and Strange by Stephanie Kuehn so we are going to read that and another book (or few) from the Newbery/Printz and Sibert/YALSA nonfiction 2014 lists.

Book group is about more than just what we’ve read.  Since we work at different library systems, it is a chance for us to gather and discuss issues and successes in our libraries.  We also talk about what is going on in our lives, just as you would expect when friends gather.  We joke around about how much time we spend on discussing books, but really, book group is about more than just talking about the books.  I wouldn’t want it any other way!

Here’s the list of books we’ve been concentrating on the past few months.  The ones with an asterisk are the ones I have read so far.

Printz: Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick (Winner)*

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (Honor)*

Kingdom of Little Wounds by Susann Cokal (Honor)

Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner (Honor)

Navigating Early by Claire Vanderpool (Honor)*

Newbery:

Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo (Winner)

Doll Bones by Holly Black (Honor)*

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes (Honor)

One Came Home by Amy Timberlake (Honor)

Paperboy by Vince Vawter (Honor)

YALSA Non-Fiction:

The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World’s Most Notorious Nazi by Neal Bascomb (Winner)

Courage Has No Color: The True Story of the Triple Nickles, America’s First Black Paratroopers by Tanya Lee Stone (Finalist)*

Go: A Kidd’s Guide to Graphic Design by Chip Kidd (Finalist)

Imprisoned: The Betrayal of Japanese Americans during World War II by Martin W. Sandler (Finalist)*

The President Has Been Shot! The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by James L. Swanson (Finalist)

Sibert:

Parrots over Puerto Rico by Susan L. Roth (Winner)*

A Splash of Red by Jen Bryant (Honor)*

Look Up! Bird-watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette LeBlanc Cate (Honor)* Locomotive by Brian Floca (Honor)*

The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, eccentric genius by Jan Greenberg & Sandra Jordan (Honor)*

2014 Morris: Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets Evan Roskos (Winner)*

Charm & Strange Stephanie Kuehn (Finalist)*

Sex & Violence Carrie Mesrobian (Finalist)

Belle Epoque Elizabeth Ross (Finalist)

In the Shadow of Blackbirds Cat Winters (Finalist)

There's always time to Sparkle!

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

On the way to a publicity event in the Caribbean, the plane carrying the contestants of the Miss Teen Dream beauty pageant crashes into a small island, killing most of the occupants and, more importantly, destroying most of their beauty products and sparkly clothes. In addition to finding a way to stay alive, the survivors must face their personal demons…and figure out how to handle the secret military operation hidden on the island. Can a group of Miss Teen Dream hopefuls survive living in the tropical wild and still keep up their pageant routines?

Likes

Full of snarky awesomeness, this look at a group of pageant princesses packs a powerful punch of satirical social commentary. I especially like the various asides from The Corporation.

It’s Reality TV gone wild! While I hate those book and TV blurbs that compare one thing to several others, I can’t resist writing my own. Beauty Queens is a mixture of Toddlers and Tiaras, Lost, Survivor and Comedy Central’s news programs.

Dislikes
There were many times in the story that it seemed like the author was trying to push an anti-commercialism message, which really took away from the overall humor of the story.

The commercial breaks and footnotes became distracting and, again, took away from the overall humor of the story. 

Trouble begins at 8

One thing I didn’t do on my vacation is post book reviews. Oops. Some were written…they just didn’t make it on to the blog. Here are the first two, both read for one of my book groups.

The trouble begins at 8: a life of Mark Twain in the wild, wild West by Sid Fleischman

Mark Twain, the beloved author of such classics as A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, is well known in American literature. How did he become a writer? This biography details Twain’s life as a young boy in Missouri, his adventures (and misadventures) along the Mississippi River and American West, and his life as a distinguished author and speaker.

An excellent biography written for students in fourth through eighth grades, the book includes many photographs and pictures which help to illustrate the life of one of America’s greatest writers.



The extraordinary Mark Twain (according to Susy) by Barbara Kerley; iIllustrated by Edwin Fotheringham.

This picture book biography is a fascinating read. Included along with the text are excerpts of Susy’s – Mark Twain’s young daughter – observations of her father. This book is sure to inspire a child to write her own biography of a special person in her life.

The Bruiser

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

Brewster isn’t like other teens. Anti-social and awkward, he was voted “most likely to get the death penalty”. Instead of running far from him, Bronte is attracted to the misunderstood peer. Her twin brother, Tennyson, doesn’t understand what she is thinking. Then he let’s himself get to know Brewster.

Brewster isn’t like other teens for a reason. He can’t allow himself to get close to anyone for fear that he will physically feel their pains. But, like any other person, he desires to fit in and be part of the crowd.

Told by various characters, the tale is woven neatly together, showing the different sides of the story, and giving the main characters of Tennyson, Bronte and Brewster (and Cody, Brewster’s younger brother) more depth.

Likes

The way the novel is written, giving more than one view point of the events, and showing how the characters, especially Tennyson, mature over the short time period.

The suspense of the tale. At first you aren’t quite sure what is up with Brewster. Then, knowing what is going on, you aren’t sure how the story can turn out well. I’ve read one other novel by Shusterman (Unwind). His writing is masterfully full of suspense.

Dislikes

Due to Brewster’s unique condition, the story can be a little difficult to read. I admit I rarely take pleasure in reading of another’s pain, even if it is an imaginary literary character.

<#($@()_ <--Goodbye in Robot

How to say goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford

Beatrice and her family have moved from college town to college town, following her father’s academic career. It’s now her senior year and she is the new student in a small private school. Her mother has been acting wonky for a few months now. Beatrice’s apathy makes her wonder if she really is a robot, as her mother often calls her.

On the first day of school, Beatrice meets Jonas, called Ghost Boy by the rest of the school. The two develop an unusual relationship, due to Jonas being a social outcast, and Beatrice feeling as she should be one. The relationship becomes even more complicated when Jonas finds out that, unlike what his father had told him, his severely disabled twin brother was not killed in the automobile accident that also took their mother’s life. Jonas is determined to find Matthew and save him from the institutionalized life he has lived for the past ten years. In the background of this drama is the late-night radio talk show that Jonas and Beatrice listen to every night.

Likes:
There is humor in this dark tale. During her breakdown, Bea’s mother is obsessed with chickens. That is enough to make one chuckle. As a general story, it was OK. I think I laughed more than I probably was suppose to, though.

Dislikes:
There is little in this story that I believe. The quirky people are too quirky. The messed up people, too messed up. The list really could go on and on. I can’t see many teens reading this book, and the pink cover will keep it out of the hands of the majority of boys.

But…it did make me laugh.

Other:

I read this book for one of the book groups I attend.

One Crazy Summer

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia.

It’s the summer of 1968 and Delphine and her younger sisters are embarking on an adventure. Their father has decided they need to visit their mother, Cecile, who they haven’t seen since she abandoned them several years before. So they board a plane in New York and fly to Oakland, California with dreams of beaches, movie stars and Disneyland. Instead they encounter Chinese take out, a distant mother and day camp with the Black Panthers.

What I like about this book:

The history. I am a sucker for most historical fiction. I also love it when a well written novel gives another (and accurate) view of history that I didn’t learn while in school.

Delphine – perhaps it’s because I’m the oldest of three girls as well. I totally get the whole looking out and mothering your little siblings. I love that she grows into herself more throughout the novel, staying true to her character, but also becoming more her. If that makes any sense…

Fern – that girl’s got sass. She’s smart and sweet and she loves her Miss Patty Cake doll.

Really, I enjoyed this book. The only issue I had with it was something Fern does towards the end. While I liked that part a lot, I wonder if Fern was too young to really act that way.

This is a book group pick for May.

Invisible Lines

It’s book group week! Not only am I going to the YA book discussion group meeting tomorrow night, but I’m also attending another youth book discussion group meeting on Friday. YAY! Can you tell that I’m excited?

I finished reading one of the books for Friday’s meeting: Invisible Lines by Mary Amato. I have a stack of books to choose from for my next read, but haven’t actually grabbed one from the pile yet. I think I have Boston Jane in my van, so that will more than likely be my lunchtime reading today.

Invisible Lines by Mary Amato

Trevor lives with his mom and his younger siblings in a run down tenement building. Because of the school lines, he attends a middle school with many wealthy students. He struggles to be true to himself and to not cross the invisible lines found throughout his life as well as dealing with the consequences when one classmate decides Trevor doesn’t belong in their crowd.

A wonderful mix of art, science, soccer, family and life in general, Amato has written a heartwarming tale. She doesn’t shy away from the heavy topics, but instead expertly weaves them into the story, without bringing the overall tone of the novel down.

Book groups galore!

I’m excited. After months of missing the YA book group I had been attending (due to working until 8 on Tuesday nights), I can attend this month! I was very excited when I read the email detailing the date, time and books. It’s on a Wednesday. I might even make it there on time.

Then…I was telling a coworker about it, and she mentioned another book group that I can join. So, now I’m doubly excited. I have two groups of people that I can talk with about our shared love of children’s and teen literature! Yay!

The books for this month are:

YA Book Group (March 24):
Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd


Youth Book Group (March 26):
Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Invisible Lines by Mary Amato

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you may know that I attempted to read Going Bovine, and just couldn’t make myself finish it. I’m not going to try again.

I’m currently reading Once Was Lost and Invisible Lines, and hope to finish both within the next week.

book update

As I mentioned, I have read five books recently. All of them have been excellent.

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
Thirteen-year-old Kyra lives with her family – her three Mothers, her father and her 19 siblings (with two more on the way) in the closed desert community ran by the religious leader of their faith. While she internally questions their ways, she doesn’t fight against them until it is announced by the Prophet that she is to marry…her uncle who is nearly 50 years older than she is.

Kyra struggles with leaving her family, a family full of love for one another, behind forever and following the will of the Prophet.

This was a quick read. I started it at dinner tonight – around 8:40 or so – and finished it within two hours. And that wasn’t even reading for two hours straight.

It was a good read. I thought the story was fairly well written. You do wonder what Kyra is going to do, and understand the factors that are pulling her in her decisions.

I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle
While giving the Valedictorian speech, the dweebish brainiac Denis Cooverman announces his love for the head cheerleader. Much to his – and his best friend’s – surprise, Beth and her two BFFs (i.e. the Trinity) show up at Denis’ impromptu graduation party. What ensues is a graduation night that will never be forgotten.

This book – which has been made into a movie that will be in theaters this summer – reminds me of a novelized version of American Pie, Superbad, and other such films. It. Was. Hilarious. I honestly laughed out loud (and nearly choked on my lunch) while reading this book. Full of action and “OMG I can’t believe what happened next” type of humor, it is sure to be enjoyed by crude teenager in all of us.

This was a book group pick for June.

Shield of Stars by Hilari Bell
Sword of Waters by Hilari Bell
These two books are part of a trilogy. The third in the series will be out this fall. The shield and sword refer to two of three items of legend in the kingdom, all of which have disappeared centuries before the stories take place. Each book has a different item as part of the theme.

Weasel was once a pickpocket. When he is caught trying to pick the pocket of one of the Justices, the Justice takes him home instead of to jail, and trains Weasel to become his clerk. Which is how Weasel finds himself deeply entrenched in a plot to overthrow the current Regent of the kingdom. When Justice Hollis’ plot is uncovered and he is hauled away to prison, Weasel vows to himself to free the man who has treated him so well.

Along the way, Weasel joins up with Arisa – daughter of a smuggler (or so she says to Weasel). The two make their way throughout the countryside in search of the Falcon – a bandit or revolutionary (depending on who you ask).
In a twist of fate, it ends up that Arisa’s mother is actually the Falcon. With her help, Weasel saves Justice Hollis…who becomes the new Regent.

In the second book, a few months have gone by since the uprising. The Falcon is the leader of the military, and possesses the famed Shield of Stars, and she and Arisa now live in the royal castle, as does Justice Hollis and Weasel. Weasel has become friends with the prince…something that the Falcon wants Arisa to do as well. Arisa is having a hard time fitting in with the Court, preferring pants to tight fitting dresses, and fighting with fists to fighting with words. When the Falcon asks her daughter to help search for the Sword of Waters, Arisa enlists her friend Weasel – and the price – to aid in the quest…which all of them think is unlikely to be achieved. Along the way Arisa uncovers a plot…that might involve the person she loves and admires more.

I cannot wait for September…and the release of the next book. This is a great light fantasy series that can be enjoyed by tweens, teens and adults. The characters are well developed, strong in their own ways, but still human.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Mary lives in a frightful future. Many years before, an epidemic went rampant throughout the world. Those infected quickly died…and came back as the undead, craving only the flesh of the living.

Now, Mary lives in a village surrounded by fences. They are perhaps the only people left in the world. Her father disappeared into the forest that surrounds the village…the forest where the Infected dwell. Her mother goes to the fence nearly every day, searching for her husband. Mary and her brother go with her – keeping their mother far enough from the fence so she will not be infected as well.

But, when Mary takes her time with the laundry, her mother goes to the fence alone…and allows herself to be bitten by the rabid undead who strive to get beyond the barriers. Quickly, she is overtaken by the sickness, dying…and coming back Infected…within days.

Mary’s brother casts her from his home – blaming her for their mother’s death. Mary is sent to live with the Sisters – the holy women who rule their village.

A time comes when Mary is forced to leave the village – along with a few other survivors - and she must choose between the man she loves, the man who loves her and her deep desire to find the ocean of her dreams.

This was an excellent book. It was great to read a well written horror book that was not about vampires. It goes on the list of "books to make others read".

I finished three books over the past week. The first was a teen novel: Voss: How I come to America and Am Hero, Mostly by David Ives. It was…interesting in a ha-ha funny sort of way.

Voss is a Slobovian. He, along with his uncle and father, smuggle themselves to America in a crate of black market cheesy poofs. Once there he befriends a heiress, saves hundreds of fellow illegal immigrants from a ghastly demise and becomes a hero, mostly.

The story is told in a series of letters, written in English, but full of misspellings, etc. It actually reminds me a lot of the little I know of Borat. But the book has better humor.

The second book I finished is a children’s book. The Dark Hills Divide by Patrick Carman is the first book in The Land of Elyon series.

This wonderfully written tale is told from the first person viewpoint of twelve-year-old Alexa Daley. The daughter of one of the four rulers of her “nation”, each summer Alexa and her father make the journey to Bridewell, where they meet with the other rulers. Their nation is made up of four cities completely enclosed in walls. Alexa loves to explore the grounds and try to find a way outside the walls. When the founder dies, Alexa is left with a mystery to solve – the meaning of Warvold’s last words. Will Alexa find her way beyond the walls?

I enjoyed this book so much that I put the second and third on hold.

The last book I finished was Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. This was a book group pick. It was also my dinner reading…which was odd. Why? Because I was only reading it while eating…and the main character is anorexic. How’s that for some weirdness?

For the past several years, eighteen-year-old Lia has been struggling with anorexia. She doesn’t think she has a problem, and resists the help from family. When her former BFF dies alone in a hotel room, Lia is haunted by Cassie’s ghost. Cassie tried calling Lia – more than 30 times – but Lia didn’t answer. Now, Lia is spiraling down the road to her quest to be the ultimate wintergirl.

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.

catching up is hard to do!

Wow. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve updated. I’ve been meaning to update, as I’ve read several books over the past few weeks, but time has been short. There are lots of great things happening with work…which means busy has been my middle name lately!

What have I read lately?

Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt – Actually, I listened to this book. It was excellent! I highly recommend the audiobook. The narrator does an excellent job of putting you in 1968/1969 Long Island and reads so you can easily tell which character is speaking.

Holling Hoodhood is convinced that his homeroom teacher, Mrs. Baker, hates his guts. As the only child in his 7th grade class who isn’t Jewish or Catholic, Wednesday afternoons mean he is the only seventh grader left still at school. Mrs. Baker starts off the year with many mundane tasks for Holling, but then decides that he can learn the great joy that is Shakespeare. Set during the late 60s, the Vietnam War plays a significant part in the tale by looming in the background and its effects on the characters.

This is one of those books that you may find in either the Children's area or with the Teen books.


Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher – When her mother becomes too sick to keep her packing house job, fifteen year old Ruby quits school and starts working in her mother’s place. Ruby loves to dance. It is what keeps her spirits up after a long day in the Chicago meat packing plant. When she learns of the opportunity to earn better money by being a taxi dancer, she decides to take the job. This places her into a slightly seedy world of dancing with patrons of a dance hall (one dance per ticket – which costs ten cents), and catching – and keeping – “fish”.

Having not heard of taxi dancers, I was intrigued when I first learned of this book. I did enjoy the tale, but thought the end was a little too nicely wrapped up and happy. I did like the author’s note at the end, explaining what prompted her to tell this tale.

Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles by Rupert Kingfisher

Every summer, young Madeleine is shipped to Paris to work in her uncle’s restaurant. Uncle Lard wants to be a famous chef, but unfortunately his concoctions are as vile as he is. Madeleine is a wonderful cook, but, after Uncle Lard figures this out, is forced to only clean dishes and never, ever cook in the restaurant.

While running an errand for a particular type of food, Madeleine comes across the odd little shop of Madame Pamplemousse. Here she ends up buying a small jar of food that changes the luck of Uncle Lard’s restaurant. This prompts Uncle Lard to decide that he must have Madame Pamplemousse’s secret recipes. He sends Madeleine to work with the mysterious woman…and to steal her secrets.

This is a cute book. There are lots of illustrations throughout, and the tale flows very quickly. I enjoyed it.

The Ruby in the Smoke (Sally Lockhart Trilogy, Book 1) by Philip Pullman – This was a quick read. I read it in just a few hours last night. It was a decent enough tale, though I think that the author has a love affair with the word “presently” (opinion comes from reading other books by him as well).

It’s 1872 London, and sixteen year old Sally has lost her father sea in what was supposedly a shipwreck in the ocean near Singapore. After receiving a cryptic note, Sally isn’t so sure that it wasn’t murder. Sally pools her resources and tries to solve the mystery of her father’s death, while also trying to stay alive herself.

I have a paperback copy of Ruby in the Smoke that is free to a good home.

Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott – This was another book group pick. Set in current times, Dani and her mother are thieves. They infiltrate rich communities and steal silver from the wealthy. Dani doesn’t have the love of the game that her mother possesses, but, as it is the only thing she has ever known, she can’t figure out how to get out of the family biz. When mom settles on the small costal town of Heaven as their next hit, several things happen that Dani doesn’t count on – namely, finding a friend in the wealthy crowd and falling for a local police officer.

This was another OK book. It was good fluff, with a pretty predictable ending.

I think that is it!

Part-time Indian....Stealing Heaven

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.
This audiobook is narrated by the author. At first, I wasn’t keen on the narration; however, as the story continued on, I realized that the accent portrayed was perfect for the character. Yes…it was a little annoying, but it fit Arnold Spirit. While it’s early in the year, this book just might make my top audiobooks listened to in 2009.

Recorded Books won the 2009 Odyssey Award for this title.

http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2009/january2009/ymaodyssey.cfm

Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott
Along with Boy Toy and Hunger Games, this is a recent book group pick. Although it’s a bit fluff, and a somewhat tidy ending, I did enjoy this book.

Eighteen-year-old Dani and her mother travel from town to town, scamming the rich and stealing silver. Having never gone to school or had a normal childhood, it is all that Dani knows. That doesn’t mean that she is happy with their life of crime. While her mom gets a high from stealing silver, Dani doesn’t enjoy it.

When they arrive in a small coastal town called Heaven, Dani knows the drill. Unfortunately, she encounters a few things that are very out of the ordinary – at least in her experiences. She finds a friend amongst the rich kids. She also finds a guy who seems genuinely interested in her as a person…and who she likes, as well. Too bad he’s a cop.

As I said, it’s a bit fluff, but I did like the story. Dani does grow as the tale is told, even though her mother stays the same (which actually works well for the story…and makes it a little more real).

Happy Book Day!

Several books came in for me on my day off. Yay! So, my latest reads are:

The Duggars : 20 and counting! : raising one of America's largest families--how they do it by Michelle & Jim Bob Duggar
Why am I reading this book? Because I’m slightly obsessed with this family. Ma and Pa Duggar and their brood live in Arkansas. Ma has birthed 18 children – only two sets of twins – and would love to have more. Oh…and all the kids have names that begin with a J.

Umkay…

The family has had several TLC/Discovery specials over the past several years, and now even has their won television show. Unfortunately for me, I don’t have cable/satellite, so I can rarely watch the madness on TV.

Circus of the Damned by Laurell K. Hamilton. This is book 3 of the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series. I am excited to read it, and have already placed the next few books on hold. Yay!


The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp. This is a book club pick for February. I started reading it yesterday, and haven’t read enough yet to write about it.

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon (audiobook) – still listening to this series. I’m nearly finished with disc 18 of 30+. It’s getting really good. Clare is back from the future and has just found out that Jamie married the bitch who tried to get Clare burned as a witch!

Speaking of the Outlander series…

A friend and I were discussing the books last night. I’ve decided that Kevin McKidd should play Jamie in the Outlander movie, rumored to be released in 2011. If you watch Grey’s Anatomy, you would know him as Major Hottie. Not only is he a cutie with reddish hair, but he’s also Scottish.

In other news…

I’m hoping to get quite a bit of Voyager completed over the next two weeks. I’ve a drive to – and from – Michigan, and a flight to – and from – Denver. Plus the time hanging around airports, hotels, etc. So, I am going to borrow the husband’s MP3 player and download some books on CD to it and my laptop. Additionally, as I am going to a library conference, I’m sure I’ll pick up a book – or 20 – while in Denver.

Back from the dead and visits to faerieland.

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

Social outcast Jennifer Harris drastically changes herself after hearing that Cameron Quick, her best – and only friend died. Several years go by, and Jennifer is now Jenna, now a popular teenager with a boyfriend. When Cameron shows up, Jenna’s world is stunned to the core, as she must deal with not only finding out that he is alive, but also the traumatic event they experienced on her 9th birthday.


This was a book club pick.


I listened to this book. The author narrated the audiobook. I thought that her tone was too flat for most of the story, but then, that could also be because of Jenna’s “voice”. I wasn’t overly impressed with the book. Jenna seemed like a robot. None of the characters felt well developed. While I did listen to the whole book, I wasn’t excited about it at all.


Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black

With a rock-and-roll-star-wannabe mom and a subsequent life on the road, sixteen-year-old Kaye’s life has always been beyond normal. After her mother is nearly attacked by a band mate, Kaye and her mom return to their hometown in New Jersey. Kaye reconnects with her childhood best friend...and with the faeries she played with as a little girl. Now that she’s older, she learns the real reason she can see faeries…and finds that she plays a major role in the battle for control over two fairie kingdoms.


Now this was a good tale! Black’s descriptions of New Jersey – both the human and faerie parts – place the reader there.

Shakespeare revised and a whole lot more!

A few days ago, I finished the short novel, Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors. It was quite enjoyable. Enough that I will be passing it on to a few friends.

In this tale of Shakespeare rewritten, seventeen year old Mimi Wallingford is being forced to play Juliet in her family theater’s production of Romeo and Juliet. In hopes of pulling the theater out of the red, her mother has cast teen heartthrob Troy Summer as Romeo. Mimi wants nothing more than to go to college and become a doctor like her aunt. When a charm breaks, blowing ashes (supposedly from Shakespeare’s quill) on to Mimi and Troy, the duo find themselves transported to Shakespeare’s Verona. Once there, they are immersed into the story…but their existence means some plot changes to the story, as Benevelo falls for Mimi (mush to Troy’s dismay), Romeo continues to pine for Rosaline, and Juliet’s marriage to Paris seems sure to happen (much to Juliet’s great unhappiness). Can Mimi and Troy find their way back to Manhattan and save Romeo and Juliet from their dire fates?

I thought this book was well written, and suited for upper middle school/lower high school audiences (basically, the teens who are probably reading Romeo and Juliet in school). I enjoyed the plot and thought the characters were decently developed. I loved Juliet’s spunk! It was a quick and fairly light read.

I’m now reading two books, and listening to another. Tithe by Holly Black (co author of the Spiderwick Chronicles) and A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess. As noted on my sidebar lists, this is the 21 chapter version, also known as the British or European version of the novel.

Originally, Burgess wrote the book with 21 chapters. For some odd reason, the American publishers decided to publish it without that last chapter. The movie is based upon the American version of the book. Such a shame, as that last chapter completely changes the book.
I read A Clockwork Orange (and saw the movie) about 10 years ago. They are both excellent, but most definitely for an older audience (high school senior or older).

As for Tithe, I like what little I’ve read so far of this modern day tale of fairy. I’ll write more about it later.

I’m listening to one of the book group picks for next month: Sweethearts by Sara Zarr. I’m only about 1 disc in, but like what I’ve heard. I’m not overly keen on the narration (done by the author). It’s rather monotone. But, I like the narration better than the previous two books I’ve tried to listen to.

update

Not much to update on right now. I went to my book group last week, even though I didn’t finish any of the books. Left, as usual, with a long list of books to look for. We have three to read for next month:

• The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson
• Sweethearts by Sarah Zarr
• Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor

I started listening to Waiting for Normal, but wasn’t keen on the narrator. So, sent that back. I’ll try the print version instead.

Someone recommended The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trent Lee Stewart. I got the book on CD….and, again, am not keen on the narrator. So, I’ll get the print version of that book as well.


I’m reading Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors. I’m not far into the book, but like the story so far.

Fall programming begins next week, so I’ll post more programming info soon. Not much to post about this weeks program. I’m showing The Great Muppet Caper on Wednesday night, so it’s a usual movie program.

Bitten

Spoiler Alert!
A warning – Don’t read this review if you are currently reading or plan to read Breaking Dawn.

Wow. I haven’t been a huge fan of this series. After finishing Breaking Dawn, I think I am even less so. As with the previous books, I listened to the book on CD.

It was predictable – Jacob showing up at the wedding reception. Bella getting pregnant. Jacob imprinting on Bella and Edward’s daughter…the list goes on.

It was annoying – because it was predicable. Because teenage vampires (and vampires to be) are even worse at naming children than most celebrities. I won’t even use the child’s name, it is so horrible. No wonder Jacob nicknames her Nessy. And I was still annoyed by the overuse of certain adjectives. Cold. Icy. Marble. Freezing. Yeah…got the picture 3 books ago. The vampires are not warm blooded people. Also annoying? The lack of action. Sex is glossed over, which is annoying with the buildup in the previous books. There isn’t any fighting, even though the vampire “law” enforcers pay the Cullens a visit. The bloodlust buildup fizzled out with no release. Boring.

One last annoying bite. Bella is too perfect. With all the talk about how newborn vampires act (wasn’t that a big part of Eclipse?), you would think that we would be treated to Bella’s struggle. Nope. Instead, she is reborn without all those nasty little newborn traits.

So, while there were a couple parts of the book that I liked, overall I thought it rather sucked. (Or should I say it bites? Ha.)

Continuing on the vampire theme…I was reading Suck it Up, which was a book group pick for this month. *yawn* not going to finish it. I was bored by it as well. So, I’m going to my group this month having not read the “assigned” reading. Ah, well. Won’t be the last time, I’m sure!

vampires, villagers, and high society...Oh, my!

That would pretty much sum up my reading lately, as I've several books to write about today.

Firstly, I listened to Good masters! Sweet Ladies! : voices from a medieval village by Laura Amy Schlitz. This book was the 2008 Newbery Award winner. The audio version is excellent. Each of the monologues and dialogues are read by different voices. The listener can visualize the life portrayed by the author. I highly recommend this title for not only the tweens it is written for, but for adults and teens as well.

I’ve finished two books over the last week or so. The Virgin’s Lover by Philippa Gregory – which is another book in her Boleyn series – and The Luxe by Anna Godbersen.

The Virgin’s Lover. This book begins before the previous story ends (The Queen’s Fool). It is the story of Queen Elizabeth I, her lover Robert Dudley and his wife Amy.

*sigh* I wish I could have been sucked into the story like I was with The Other Boleyn Girl. I’m debating whether I want to bother with anther book by this author. It isn’t that it was poorly written. It just didn’t keep my attention…which is why it took me several weeks to finish reading it.

The Luxe. The story begins with a funeral. Beautiful, young Manhattan society princess Elizabeth Holland tumbled out of a carriage and into the chilly Hudson River. Her body was not found. One what was to be her wedding day, instead an empty casket is being placed in the ground.

What happened to Elizabeth Holland? Only one person was with her in the carriage…her friend Penelope. Elizabeth’s younger sister Diana is full of grief, wondering if she somehow caused this terrible event to happen, while Elizabeth’s fiancé Henry is numb with grief. Few know what secrets Elizabeth was hiding…

While it might not sound it, it is a great light read. I’ve already placed the next book on hold.

Current reads:

Suck it Up by Brian Meehl . This is a book group choice.

I’m listening to Breaking Dawn. I’ll finish it. I want to know how it ends. BUT…the name geek in me is screaming. Won’t say why yet. I’ll save that for the actual review.