I was so excited to read Extras because I have loved Westerfeld’s series. I just couldn’t go out and buy the hardcover, so I waited until my library bought it and stole it home for a night. And, it didn’t let me down. Within a day, I had read it cover to cover and gobbled it up. The Japanese-themed world where Aya and Hiro and the others lived was genius and successfully played out in this manga and anime-crazed kid world. Beautifully done!
Some Old, Some New October 28, 2007
I was happy that we got a few new books in the library and I was able to spend some time this weekend reading. The two I picked up were Life As We Knew It by Susan Pfeffer and Being by Kevin Brooks. This is the first Brooks book I’ve picked up and although I didn’t think the whole book was a hit, I will pick up some of his other books. The reason the whole book wasn’t great was that the main premise of the book wasn’t necessarily the main focus, instead things got lost in a romantic relationship that only got heated toward the beginning and at the end. Then the second, Pfeffer’s novel, was an interesting take on the “end-of-the-world” novels. Think: Meg Rosoff’s How I Live Now, except GOOD. The characters were well-developed and Miranda’s voice was genuine and thoughtful, along the lines of Anne Frank.
Top Books July 23, 2007
You know, as I’m looking at my bookshelves here at home, I’m thinking that limiting myself to a “top 5″ list of my favorite books is too limiting! Why? There are classics I haven’t thought of –Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World– that I love to discuss with others and my offbeat favorite The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides, which Sophia Coppola did a wonderful rendition of on the big-screen.
