Time Out February 20, 2009

I definitely go in spurts when it comes to posting lately, so here it goes.

My Most Excellent Year by Kluger, Devil’s Knot by Leveritt, Quaking by Erskine, and Black Pearls by Hawes.

I wasn’t too impressed with Black Pearls, however I can definitely see who’d I’d recommend the book to, those who love twisted fairy tales, fractured fairy tales, or anything like it. I do to an extent, I mean, I loved Book of a Thousand Days, but there’s just something about the little stories that didn’t intrigue me the way an entire story would unfold.  The other book I wasn’t too impressed with was Quaking, I don’t know what I expected, but it certainly wasn’t that. I can’t describe why I didn’t care for it, whether it was because I disliked Mattie, the main character, or because at times I didn’t quite know how all of the pieces fit together to weave a story and an idea.

However, I was a big fan of  Kluger’s novel. I was endeared to all of the characters, which at times did get a big overwhelming, but for some reason it reminds me of witty novels like a new favorite, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. There were a few layers to each characters experiences that created very real and very dynamic characters. The format was also fun, with instant messages, emails, essays, etc. the reader felt more like a voyeur than just an outsider. It was fun and easy. Then, there’s the nonfiction novel, which I don’t generally read, but I have already seen the documentaries about the West Memphis Three, so I thought it was worth flipping through. While much of the information was gathered before reading the book, it was still worth a look. Three eight year old boys are murdered in West Memphis, while three teenage boys are accused of the crime.

Overload April 24, 2008

Alright, I’m going to get it out of my system. I know I’ve been terrible; I’ve been reading a lot, but not stopping to file them away for you all to see. Here’s a list (I’ll make a short comment for all):

Annie On My Mind by Nancy Gardner– Wonderfully romantic and sappy, but a first for it’s time (it was written in the early 80s) about two girls who find love with one another and discover the adversity that comes with being themselves. Definitely enjoyable.

Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman– I could have taken or left it. I’ve heard much about it, so I decided to give it a whirl. It’s a quick read and entertaining, just not my style.

Boot Camp by Todd Strasser– I like his stuff and I wasn’t disappointed. Though it might be mildly unrealistic, it’s still a thought-provoking read and worthwhile. Great guy book.

Quad by C.G. Watson– One of those books that can be read as a cautionary tale in the wake of so much school violence. It’s a whodunit after a school shooting erupts in… you got it… the quad at school. Interesting points of view to keep you guessing… whodunit!

Rucker Park Setup by Paul Volponi– Another great guy book like most of Walter Dean Myers’ basketball books, except it was short, sweet, with little character depth, but just enough action and backstabbing (no pun intended) to make it fulfilling.

Freaks: Alive, on the Inside by Annette Curtis Klause– I have a colleague to thank for recommending this book to me, and I’m glad I sat down and read it. It’s got all the elements of a great book including wonderfully lively characters, all with flaws, who then find themselves on a journey to find peace in their lives while being “normal” or “freaky.”

Beating Heart by A.M. Jenkins– Oh so sexy and oh so short! She’s always into writing for brevity, and I could have done with more from this one just because it’s a cool, intriguing plot line. Girl gets murdered, girl’s ghost then haunts large, busted-up home, boy moves into home, girl ghost takes boy as “lover.” That got your attention? Chills!

Sorry it was short, but it was succinct. Tune in next time!

A Great Week of Reading February 27, 2008

Hooray for vacations, even working vacations, since I was able to read and listen to a few really great books. First off, kudos to the narrators of the two audiobooks that I did listen to and LOVE, plus the authors that wrote them! Gary Paulsen’s Soldier’s Heart and Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust, both about desparate times in America’s history: the Civil War and the Great Depression, respectively.

Next there were the books, I passed after about 150 pages on The Wizard Heir… I loved The Warrior Heir, but I could not get into Chima’s latest. Yes, I loved Seph’s character and the remote, top secret academy in Maine, but it fell short of my expectations and I put it down. Then, there was Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, which I loved! Told in alternating points of view written by the wonderful Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, this good boy/bad girl duo kick ass and however they’d like to ignore their romantic sides, they get pretty steamy at the hotel before they realize that they’re putting the cart before the horse– and I love the story for that. Aside from the massive amount of swearing, it was another unlikely pairing (sort of?) similar, but not identical to, books by Ron Koertge.  

Seeing Sequels January 29, 2008

There’s nothing better than enjoying a good book, but there’s nothing better than that than discovering that the author wrote a sequel and it’s just as juicy. Alane Ferguson’s The Christopher Killer and The Angel of Death were great… I have to admit I actually read the sequel first, but that just goes to show that if the character is worth it, then it’s worth going back. I enjoy Cameryn as a character, she’s a super-sleuth and not only did I enjoy her, I enjoyed the forensics involved in solving the mysteries and crimes. Next, I have to mention, it was the best recommendation yet from my colleague who got me hooked! Enter Melissa De La Cruz’s Blue Bloods series (Masquerade being the second book). Like one of my students said about Twilight, those are sparkly vampires, then I replied, yeah, well, the Blue Bloods vampires are sexy vampires. Read it and see if you agree. I’ll say no more. And last, I read (again in reverse order) Fighting Ruben Wolfe and its sequel, Getting the Girl by Markus Zusak. I could give or take them, but they have value especially in respecting family and family ties, especially that of brotherhood. Think The Fight Club meets family dysfunction.

Nothing Earth-Shattering January 29, 2008

I’ve read a bunch, but nothing worth getting on to write about the second I put it down. So, here’s a run-down: Wait for Me by An Na, Incantation by Alice Hoffman, Theories of Relativity by Barbara Haworth-Attard, Rat Life by Tedd Arnold, The Seance by Joan Lowery Nixon, Thirsty by M.T. Anderson, and Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. I will say that many of these had something worth sticking it out for. For instance, Rat Life is a great way to discuss the issue of Vietnam in the likeness of In Country by Bobbi Ann Mason because it’s not really about the direct Vietnam War, but it’s after effects, plus the book is pretty cheeky. The Seance had a great ending (who would have guessed?!) and was pretty thoughtful, but still didn’t bring the scare-power. Incantation is another great history lesson– discussing how Jews were hiding as Christians in Spain and how one girl discovers her family’s true history. Theories of Relativity is much like Can’t Get There from Here by Strasser, but to me, Haworth-Attard pulled more heartstrings.  So there’s the quick and dirty. Enjoy!  

Sequels Galore August 28, 2007

This summer has definitely been the summer of sequels, take note of Trueman’s Cruise Control that I just posted, but now, on to the other sequels that I’ve conquered this summer. The good, the bad, and the ugly. There was the good, The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Mudock, which I highly recommend, especially because of the pressure that D.J. faces in Dairy Queen is nothing compared to its sequel, which makes us root even more for loveable, tomboy D.J.

I also sat down and read through the graphic novels Persepolis and Persepolis 2 by Satrapi. These were something different from the norm with its black and white theme, yet it played nicely with Satrapi’s life growing up in a war-torn country, moving out of it, then moving back in. I would highly recommend these as reading for a history class or if you’re interested in foreign affairs and those from different cultures.

 Then there’s Shrimp, the sequel to Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn. I have to say I wasn’t as in to the sequel as I was with the first. It’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy the witty banter and crazy antics of the little hellion, but it just wasn’t the same energy I got from the quick snapshot in Gingerbread. 

There was The Prophet of Yonwood, the THIRD book in The City of Ember series. But ho, it’s actually the PREQUEL to The City of Ember then People of Sparks. I was also feeling a little uninspired by Yonwood for the simple fact that the real meat of the story was the last page of the book, what was all the stuff in the beginning and middle?? Someone answer that question for me!

Fairytale Fun August 28, 2007

I’ve heard recommendations to read anything by Donna Jo Napoli, so I finally had the chance to pick up Zel, you know, short for Rapunzel, but of course I didn’t know that when I picked it up. But, I was pleasantly surprised to get so into this fractured fairytale that I can’t wait to pick up others by Napoli. What’s great about it, in a creepy sort of way, is that it’s not the happy-go-lucky story. Heck, if you were shoved into a stone tower that you couldn’t get out of, you wouldn’t be happy as can be??? Am I right? So, Napoli doesn’t write about a happy-go-lucky girl, and that’s why it’s so believable and enjoyable. Can you tell I’m not one for a happy ending just because it’s the happy thing to do?

Love Lives On August 17, 2007

The much anticipated third novel in the Twilight series arrived on August 7th and it only took me a few days to get through the entire 600-pages, but Eclipse was well worth the wait! The saga was a little frustrating to read at times because of the wishy-washy antics of Bella, our all-American teenager who happens to be in love with a vampire and whose friend is a werewolf. But the history of their cultures and the backstories on many of the Cullen “children” made for a fascinating read. As I neared the end, I so desperately wanted one thing to happen… but we’ll just have to wait to see if it does in Breaking Dawn (with an anticipated releasen of fall 2008). 

Fantasy July 24, 2007

I definitely have a favorite kind of fantasy: faeries and vampires. For instance, I LOVE Holly Black’s books, so far I’ve read Tithe and Valiant and will read Ironside shortly. I also have enjoyed Annette Curtis Klause’s Blood and Chocolate. But anyway, back to faeries…. I just finished Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr and was blown away. There’s something so sultry about the way Marr wrote it combined with the idea of faeries and courts and powers. It’s just so great to get lost in! 

Top Authors July 23, 2007

I’ve talked already about some author’s whose books I await and who I love. Scott Westerfeld’s science fiction series is among those that I waited for also! I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Specials, the third installment of Tally’s experiences in the enchanting world of being a pretty– or trying to break free of it’s clutches. I’ve also seen many schools adopt Uglies, the first book, as a school-wide read to teach tolerance among other themes. And the second book that connects the aforementioned Uglies and Specials? You guessed it, Pretties. Maybe it’s Westerfeld’s easy style, but there’s just something about it…