Alright Already! April 9, 2008

I better catch up fast! A few I’ve finished in the last few days and week have been pretty good. The one I just finished this morning was Quad by C.G. Watson. It definitely has the feel of other books about school shootings, but paints a picture of the cruelty and tortue of everday high school. Each character has problems that lead you to assume they each could be the school shooter, nonetheless, it’s still surprising when you find out AT THE VERY END who it was. Definitely worthwhile.

The second book I won’t talk about until it is set to be published (I got an advanced reader copy), so sorry!

Again, I can’t say enough about Joan Bauer! You’ll see another posting within a few days about Stand Tall, which I just picked up today at the public library, but I did read Squashed recently. Like all others, there’s just a certain something that makes me love her characters and her for writing such sentimental literature.

The Next Installment February 27, 2008

So the reading continued… but I won’t drone on. Quickly we’ll discuss Maureen Johnson’s Devilish. I’ve had it recommended, so I picked it up. Honestly, I could take it or leave it, maybe because I’m totally totally sold on a chick-lit-y type of book, yet there was enough mystery, Satanism, and deception to keep me interested.

We can now move on to one of my new favorite authors, Joan Bauer. How cool is she? I just picked up Rules of the Road, and here I must discuss how I keep track of all my reading, with sheets on each one that include title, author, cover art, commentary, excerpts, and a review. So, whenever I read Joan Bauer’s stuff, there are always TONS of excerpts because her characters and commentary are just so… INSPIRING and THOUGHTFUL. I adore her characters, I love their insight, I love their joi de vive (did I say that right?). Pick her stuff up!

 I now want to discuss Ann Rinaldi, who we all know is a favorite of mine and she pulled out some good stuff for The Ever-After Bird. I would definitely add this to our library’s collection (and my own personal) because it was not only developed and thoughtful, but sweet, scary, and everything in between. She had wonderful characters, CeCe, Earline, and Uncle Alex who worked well together to weave a story of slave life on southern plantations while they waited for their “ever-after bird.” Give it a try.

 And last, for a fun and quick read, pick up Gary Paulsen’s Lawn Boy. Paulsen always has such great humor (read: Harris and Me was so funny that I was laughing until I cried!) that it was just simple entertainment– and informative– who knew that economics could be funny and interesting!

What’s so Funny? October 25, 2007

To borrow the title for NYPL’s Bookfest 2007, which I attended, I wanted to include the good, bad, and ugly books that were on our discussion list for the book group. The BEST was The Schwa Was Here, Schusterman did a fantastic job of dancing through the issue of invisibility as a teen. Everyone feels invisible, but poor Schwa, I mean, even at the end Antsy wasn’t quite sure he could remember everything! Then, there was Sleeping Freshman Never Lie- good. Scott addressing his fetus-for-a-brother was fantastic in his “un-diary” diary entries. Then, there was the okay, Girl, 15, Charming But Insane by Limb and Bucking the Sarge by Curtis. I wouldn’t classify Curtis’ novel as “humorous,” but the way Luther takes everything in stride, makes it a light-hearted novel about very serious (and illegal) topics. And lastly, the worst, Thwonk by Joan Bauer. However, I won’t give up on Bauer, because I hear she’s got some pretty good stuff.