Seriously Booked!

Making a Change

2011-10-15T17:34:00.002-05:00

I've decided that I'm going to stop blogging about my books for awhile. Not because I'm not reading, but because the blogging is starting to be less fun for me than it used to be AND because I have a Goodreads account that keeps up with my reading and I feel like I'm doing it twice.

So, in the effort to work smarter, not harder, I'm going to only post my reviews on Goodreads. These will still be posted to Facebook and Twitter so you can read them, but I'll be using this blog to talk about things besides books. Or maybe books AND other things, since books are kinda my life anyway!

Speaking of books, I was in the Barnes & Noble today with my husband and used the "Read in Store" function on my Nook to read the first few chapters of Lee Child's new book, "The Affair." Now I've got to decide if I want to buy it or fight the library for a copy!

While I'm on the subject of Lee Child....I am NOT happy that they have chosen Tom Cruise to play the part of Reacher in the upcoming movie. Nothing against Tom, but he's NO Reacher!

# 70 -- Pedro and Me

2011-09-18T17:30:00.001-05:00

This book by Judd Winick is one graphic novel everyone should read. I was unaware of the title until it was pointed out to me as a GN that is not shelved in the 745.1 section.

The book is a story of two men from totally different backgrounds, their friendship, and the loss one has to live with when his friend dies. You wouldn't believe the power behind this "comic book" story.

Everyone should read it!

I give it 5 penguins....I'm using my iPad to post this so I will have to go back and create my links and add my penguins!

# 69 -- Insatiable

2011-09-06T21:06:00.003-05:00

OMG! I LOVE MEG CABOT! Okay, so I'm a late bloomer! I didn't read any of the Princess books, I've not read her kid books either because they were getting popular AFTER I left the elementary library, BUT her Adult books are totally addicting to me! I LOVE THEM!

I got this one on loan from our public digital library and could not put it down! I'm dying to read some of her other adult novels, but I just found out that the sequel to this one is out....Overbite! I may have to break my rule of waiting for the book to hit the library and buy it for my Nook!

This is an adult vampire love story and so much fun to read! If you like the vampire genre, but have outgrown the YA novels, pick this one up! You will not be sorry!

# 68 -- The Black Echo

2011-09-06T20:57:00.002-05:00

My father and husband read Michael Connelly, and specifically the Harry Bosch stories. I've not read any of them before and truthfully only picked this one up because Audible was running a special on the first in several series. I'd heard about them from the men in my life and thought I would give it a shot.

I really liked it! I'm ready to read more Bosch and see where his life takes him. I'll be setting up a stack to read through soon.

Harry Bosch is such an interesting character and the twists and turns that this story took me on did not prepare me for the ending! If you haven't read Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch, start with this one!

# 67 -- The Chaos

2011-08-14T13:45:00.003-05:00

Rachel Ward is doing an excellent job of writing compelling novels for young adults. When I start one of her books, I can't put it down! It gets in my head and I've just got to finish it. (Click here to read my blog post about Num8ers earlier this year.)

The Chaos is the second in the Num8ers trilogy. The young man in the story, Adam, sees numbers when he looks at people. The numbers are the day the person will die and Adam can even sense how their deaths will come to them. What a burden to carry around with you at the age of 15!

What happens when Adam sees hundreds of people with the same death date? This story will keep you on the edge of your seat to the very last page. I had to tell my husband, "Stop talking to me, I'm almost done!" while getting to the end.

Can't wait to pick up the last in the series, 1nf1n1ty. Thanks to Chicken House for such great publishing!

# 66 -- My Nest isn't Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space

2011-08-13T16:21:00.004-05:00

I see Lisa Scottoline's name in the library and in the bookstores where I browse, but I've only read two of her books before this. Interestingly enough, all the books I've "read" have been audio.

This book, My Next Isn't Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space, came to me via Audible. I was looking at books on sale (I think) and saw this one. My daughter is about to go off to college, so it caught my eye and I bought it. It was GREAT!

Scottoline has a wonderful way of writing about her life as if you are sitting and talking to her over a cup of coffee. There were times that I almost had to pull the car over because I was laughing so hard. I plan on reading her other book that is similar to this one (Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog) and her mysteries as well. I'm a total fan now! I feel like we would be "besties" if we ever met! :)

# 65 -- Blessed

2011-08-10T09:29:00.005-05:00

I've been reading Cynthia Leitich Smith since I was in school to become a librarian. She is very talented and writes for both children and YA. I enjoy her writing style and look forward to what she's publishing next.

Blessed, is the third in the Tantalize series. I was unaware that this was a series when I read the second book (Eternal) because it didn't have the characters or setting of the first book (Tantalize). Now that I've read this one, I see the connection between the first two.

If you've read the other books a long time ago, I would encourage you to go back and read Tantalize again, or at least skim it. It had been several years since I read it and I was a little lost at the beginning of this book because I couldn't remember where we left of in Austin.

One of the things I like about this storyline is it's setting in Austin, since I used to live there and know the different areas of town Smith refers to. I also like that Smith has woven the classic tale of Bram Stoker's Dracula into this edition of the series. I hope there is more to come from these characters.

# 64 -- Three Weeks to Say Goodbye

2011-08-07T20:31:00.002-05:00

If you walk into a public library and see C. J. Box's name, you may be looking at one of his Joe Pickett novels. Most of what's he's written follows this character through Montana and Wyoming.

However, Box also writes some independent novels that still have the mid-western setting, but much different story lines. Three Weeks to Say Goodbye is one of these stories.

Set in Colorado, it is the story of a husband and wife who find out there are problems with the adoption of their baby girl. Things go from bad to worse when everything falls apart.

I love Box's writing and if you like a good suspense/mystery, you'll be hooked!

Whew!

2011-08-07T10:24:00.003-05:00

I AM ALL CAUGHT UP!

WooHoo! I can't believe I got all those books finally posted on my blog. I'm so glad it's done so I can go back and just blog about one book at a time. I'll try to remember this the next time I start to get behind! :)

I'm still reading....got two books going now and a stack from my new library to get through as well. Should have no problem getting to 111 by the end of the year!

# 63 -- Buried Prey

2011-08-07T10:14:00.003-05:00

I LOVE John Sandford! Okay, actually, I'm in love with his character, Lucas Davenport. Every year when another book comes out, I read it in like two or three days and then I feel sad that Lucas is going away for another year until the next book comes out. I know, it's pathetic!

Buried Prey is the most recent in the Prey series by Sandford. From the beginning this group of characters has sucked me in and made me a huge fan. I would encourage newcomers to go back and read the first (Rules of Prey), not because you can't read them out of order, but because there is so much history between the characters that you don't want to miss.

# 62 -- 9th Judgment

2011-08-07T10:05:00.002-05:00

James Patterson is a prolific writer. I have read many of his books, but my favorite is the Women's Murder Club.

Such a powerful group of women in one story, is wonderful to read. I also like that it is set in San Francisco, on of my all-time favorite cities. It's fun to read about places you've visited.

This 9th installment of the Women's Murder Club was hard to read because of the circumstances of the killings. There is also an epilogue at the back that will keep your head spinning after you close the book!

# 61 -- Size 14 Is Not Fat Either

2011-08-06T20:00:00.004-05:00

Meg Cabot is AWESOME! I will confess that I have never read anything of her's before the Heather Wells Mysteries, even though I was an elementary librarian. My daughter read some of the Princess Diaries series and some of her older series as well. I listened to what she had to say about it and knew it was good based on her information and the buzz from other girls in my school.

After I heard Meg Cabot speak at the Texas Library Association Conference, I knew I had to read something for myself and was so happy to hear she had a series that was more grown up. I picked up the Size 12 Is Not Fat and listened to it in my car on a trip. Loved it! Then got to listen to this one in my car again...loved it too!

Meg has such a way of capturing how we "girls" feel about certain things and Heather is so funny! Can't wait to keep reading the series. I also plan on reading some of her other "older" books as well!

# 60 -- Think of a Numb3r

2011-08-06T19:50:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure I would have picked up Think of a Numb3r by John Verdon, if it hadn't been available from the digital library I was browsing. I had just recently purchased a Nook and wanted to load some books for our trip to Hawaii. I was on the waiting list for several of my favorite authors, but wasn't having much luck finding anything that interested me.

When I came across this title, it reminded me of another couple of books I've read (just because of the number 3 in the middle of the word) and it made me take a second look. It sounded good and it was! Really interesting plot and full of suspense and mystery. I enjoyed it!

By the way, the cover made me get this book, and I'm NOT ashamed to say that I DO judge books by their covers. Sad, but true.

# 58 & 59 -- Hex Hall & Demonglass

2011-08-06T19:40:00.003-05:00

This new series by Rachel Hawkins is AMAZING! I LOVE it! If you are into the supernatural genre, these will be right up your alley. It has witches, werewolves, fairies, vampires and more! So much more!

The Hex Hall Series is full of twists and turns and wonderful characters!
Sophie, the main character, is dealing with powers she doesn't know how to control when she gets sent off to a boarding school where she learns not only about her powers, but her absent father as well.

Demonglass picks right up where the first novel ended and takes us to England, where Sophie begins a relationship with her father. I can't even begin to describe what happens in this story, but just know that the cliffhanger at the end had me screaming for the next book....can't wait for it to come out!

# 57 -- Sixkill

2011-08-06T19:33:00.004-05:00

Robert B. Parker.

Spenser.

'Nuf said!

# 56 -- R U in?

2011-08-06T13:27:00.002-05:00

R U in? is part of a ABDO Publishing series called Essential Health: A Guy's Guide.

This book deals with "using technology responsibly" and talks to guys about social networking, texting, etc. It gives a scenario of something that goes wrong (like sending a sexy text that gets out to other people) and then talks about how you might handle the situation better or what the person could have done to keep themselves out of the situation all together.

Some of the situations are a little cheesy, but I think they get the point across. I picked this book up as a review book for my library and would like to look at the other ones in the series. I would definitely recommend this to middle school librarians!

# 55 -- Lewis & Clark

2011-08-06T13:20:00.002-05:00

Lewis & Clark by Nick Bertozzi is a wonderful graphic novel in black and white. The storyline takes you on the journey after Jefferson has commission their trip.

Obviously fictionalized, the content feels mostly true to what we know of the journey. It is interesting to see Bertozzi's vision of how they handled some of the situations put before them. You can tell that great research and study went into the writing of this graphic novel. And details of his research is posted in the back of the book.

# 52, # 53, & # 54 -- Fiction/Nonfiction YA

2011-08-06T13:10:00.004-05:00

Though I don't usually "count" picture books in my reading list, I am counting these three. Though they are low on pages (48 pages each), they are high on content and being mostly nonfiction, are more difficult to read. These particular books have very detailed illustrations and side notes that take some time to get through. It was fascinating, but also frustrating trying to read all the "extras" within the main writing. I would recommend these books, but don't try to sit down and read them all at once. The pictures alone could take you several days to get through. Really good stuff!

# 51 -- Pray for Silence

2011-08-05T20:34:00.002-05:00

Pray for Silence is the second Kate Burkholder novel written by Linda Castillo. Kate is a small town police chief in Amish country who left the Amish community when she was younger. She has special insight into the Amish way of life and is able to use that when tragedy strikes the non-violent community.

This book focuses on a particularly vicious murder of a total family. Kate uses all her skills to track down the killer.

Linda Castillo's writing is spot on and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future!

# 50 -- Red Moon Rising

2011-08-05T20:25:00.004-05:00

Red Moon Rising is another supernatural tale of werewolves in teen fiction, but it's taken from a young man's perspective.

The world is different than some of the novels we have read in the past. In this story, Vampires and Wolves live together with humans, but the wolves are second-class citizens. Very interesting social discussions and blatant racism through out the book, which makes you take a closer look at bullying in schools.

Well-written and seems to give the idea that there might be a sequel in the making.

# 49 -- Painted Ladies

2011-08-05T20:14:00.002-05:00

I almost cried the day I heard Parker died. He is one of my all-time favorite authors. I will miss him greatly, and hope if they pull in a ghost writer that he has studied well. Spenser must be kept the same and must not loose his wonderful dialog.

As with all the others, I love Spenser and wish there were an unlimited number of stories about him. I may have to go back to the beginning and start reading the series again. He's just so much fun!

# 48 -- Dexter is Delicious

2011-08-05T20:04:00.004-05:00

If you like disturbing serial killers mysteries with comedic dialog and interesting characters, you need to read the Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay!

Dexter is Delicious is the latest in the series and another great read. However, it is not for the faint of heart! He is a serial killer after all!

I would also recommend the Showtime series by the same name. It doesn't follow the books, but is outstanding in it's own right. My family is completely addicted to the show and I'm a little ashamed to say I'm in love with a serial killer. Dexter Morgan is just really HOT!

Seriously....

2011-07-20T21:07:00.004-05:00

I am falling behind. I've read several books, 2 1/2 while in Hawaii, but still haven't gotten around to posting about them yet. I will....hopefully this weekend. I'm going to try to get caught up!

Photo from Flickr by ckaiserca.

# 47 -- ROOM

2011-06-28T19:49:00.003-05:00

I can't even begin to tell you about this book. It is amazing, horrible, hopeful, terrible...there are so many emotions that you run through when you read it.

Emma Donoghue has written an amazing story.

I'll leave it up to you to pick up and read, but the faint of heart should choose something else.

Reviewed Children's Books

2011-06-08T19:50:00.008-05:00

These five books are in a stack of titles I've gotten to review for my new library. I wanted to add some new children's books to the collection and picked these from our district's review library. Now I will get to add them to my library.

Testing the Ice is a true story of Jackie Robinson after he has retired from baseball. It has wonderful illustrations and is a sweet story.

Basketball Belles is the story of one of the earliest girl's basketball teams from Stanford. Written very simplistically for young readers, it's still has good information and nice illustrations.

How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You? is another in a series of the "How do dinosaurs..." books. I love the drawings and the storylines. Each one is cute and fun to read.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee is a sweet story of a zoo keeper and how he visits his animals each day. When he stays home sick one day, the animals come to visit him.

And finally, Pirate vs. Pirate is the story of the two "best/worst" pirates in the world and their competition to out-do each other in their quest to be number one!

I love picture books and can't wait to get these in my library! (You can click on the pictures to go to Amazon and read about each book.)

2011-06-03T20:32:00.001-05:00

# 45 & # 46 -- Survivor in Death and Visions in Death

2011-05-29T07:10:00.003-05:00

The last two books I've finished recently have been more in the J.D. Robb "in Death" series. Survivor in Death is actually the first of her books I ever picked up. There was an audio copy in our local library, I was getting ready to take a road trip somewhere, and decided to try it out. I immediately fell in love with the characters and wanted to listen to everything Robb has written. The good thing about her stories....there are so many of them, I can re-listen after awhile because I can't remember "who done it."

Visions in Death is a little different. I thought I'd read all the books before beginning again, but realized that this in another one I had missed. This is the one where Dallas shares her past with Peabody. I'd always wondered when and how that happened because in the earlier books you know Peabody is in the dark as far as Dallas' history is concerned and then in the later books she know and references what happened. It was nice to finally fill in that part of the story.

As with all the J.D. Robb books, I love them!

# 44 -- Glimpse

2011-05-29T07:02:00.003-05:00

I've read a couple books by Carol Lynch Williams and love her work. She does a great job of sharing the emotions and depth of her characters and pulls the reader in almost from the very first page.

Glimpse is a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat, novel in verse that takes you into the lives of two sisters and their relationship. It's their love for each other that makes them survivors against the circumstances of their existence.

After I finished the book, my co-worker picked it up and was reading it at her desk. Before I knew it, she was well into the pages, looked up at me and said, "I don't think I like where this is going, but I can't put it down. I have to finish it."

This one is really good, but be prepared to for the ride in the beginning...you won't be getting off until the story is done!

# 43 -- Gideon's Sword

2011-05-15T20:57:00.005-05:00

Gideon's Sword was a book I picked up in a special sale on Audible. I think they were selling 1st novels in a series or something like that.

The story was good, but I killed it by only listening to it a little at a time. I had two other books going at the same time (one print and one audio), so I didn't spend as much time with this one as I would like. In fact, I was listening to it every night for about 15 minutes before I went to sleep. When I finished the other two books, I focused on this one and got to the end. It went much faster and the story line picked up. I'll be interested in looking for the next one in the series...the ending leaves the opening for a following story.

# 42 -- One Day

2011-05-15T11:04:00.002-05:00

I happened upon this book in the Border's store that was closing in our town. I bought several books for a silent auction basket I had to build and this one caught my eye. A few weeks later, I found it on CD at my local library and checked it out.

It was a long book (13 CDs), but worth the listen. I was totally unprepared for the ending!

My daughter and I went to the movies for Mother's Day while I was reading the story and during the previews I saw that it was going to be made into a movie. One of the scenes we were watching was the scene I was reading at the time. It's going to be a good show, I think.

# 41 -- JINX

2011-05-08T19:43:00.002-05:00

JINX is a young adult book written in verse. It's the story of a young girl who thinks she is jinxed when her boyfriend dies.

I am always amazed when I read a novel in verse and can get a complete story out of pages of poems. It's an interesting story full of loss, anger, grief, hope, family and friendship.

Not the best verse novel I've read, but a good one.

# 40 -- Cherry Bomb

2011-05-08T12:36:00.002-05:00

I've read all the J. A. Konrath books that center around the Jack Daniels character (except the latest one). I like the tough female cop, though she might be a little too tough for some readers. Konrath doesn't pull any punches and some of his villains are hard core.

In Cherry Bomb, the antagonist is one from previous books that just keeps popping up. She is a psychopath and makes no excuses for the pain she inflicts. This is NOT a book for the faint of heart. Though the story is good, the descriptions of the deaths, mutilations and sex may be too much for some readers.

# 39 -- When Gifted Kids Don't Have All the Answers

2011-05-08T12:24:00.002-05:00

I read this for a book study this semester. I needed to do something to keep my gifted hours current and the 6 hours I got from the class keeps me up-to-date.

The book was easy to read and had lots of great information. Most things were focused on the gifted kids in the classroom and dealt with not only the students, but the way the teachers can improve their teaching of gifted kids as well. I thought it was good stuff and wish I had read it when I was still in the classroom. It's something I will have my daughter read since she's about to go off to college to begin her studies to become a teacher.

One of the things I did get from the book that I will be using in my library are some rules that were mentioned for older students.

# 38 -- Shark Girl

2011-05-01T10:34:00.002-05:00

When I picked up Shark Girl, by Kelly Bingham, I thought it was the book that inspired the movie that's out called Soul Surfer. I thought they were all about the same girl (the young surfer who was attacked by a shark and lost her arm). That's not the case. In fact, that young girl is actually mentioned, in passing, in this story.

This is a story about a 15 year old girl who is swimming in the ocean and gets attacked by a shark. Her brother saves her life, and she loses her arm just above the elbow. It's written in verse and takes you from her first moments out of the coma in the hospital through her first year of living with her new life without an arm.

Moving and inspirational, the book has great insight into how a teenager might struggle with this overwhelming event. I really enjoyed it and liked the quick pace of the prose verse.

# 37 -- The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children

2011-04-25T20:22:00.003-05:00

The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children is another wonderful book from Stormie Omartian. I've read several of her books, including her autobiography, and they are amazing. Stormie has such a gift to be able to know exactly what the reader needs to know to pray effectively.

I am not ashamed to say that her book, The Power of a Praying Wife, saved my marriage and continues to help me pray for my husband. I have also used The Power of a Praying Parent to pray for my daughter. This new book will help me pray for her when she leaves for college and continues her journey into adulthood.

There are a variety of prayer books by Stormie, I encourage you to find one that fits your needs.

# 36 -- Size 12 is Not Fat

2011-04-24T18:26:00.004-05:00

We've got a lot of Meg Cabot's books in our high school library. I've been looking at them for years, have heard her speak at different conferences, and know the young girls love her stuff. I've never read anything she's written. I know....I'm a horrible librarian!

Okay, not really...actually, when I was in the elementary school she hadn't yet published her pre-teen novels and when I got to the high school there were a lot of books to read. But I ran across this one at my daughter's high school library (which doubles as the public library as well) and thought I would give it a chance.

Very enjoyable and worth the time! I listened to it on the way to Austin for the Texas Library Association Annual Convention and really liked it. I plan to read the rest of them soon!

# 35 -- Big Jack

2011-04-24T18:18:00.003-05:00

Another in the "in Death" series by J. D. Robb. This is one I missed back in the list because it doesn't have the "in Death" tag like the other titles. It's like a novella only a little longer than her other novellas.

As with all the J. D. Robb books....I LOVE Eve Dallas and Rourke! I could listen to these stories only and be very happy!

# 34 -- Girl Stolen

2011-04-24T11:26:00.003-05:00

If you remember, about a month ago, I wrote about the book, Blindsided -- the story of a teenager losing her sight. Well, this book, Girl Stolen, is about a teen who is blind and is abducted by a car-jacker. The boy who takes the car, doesn't know the girl is in the back seat until it's too late to let her go.

This was a fast-paced YA novel that I couldn't put down....mostly because I wanted to reach into the book and put the hurt on the criminals in the story! Definitely worth the read!

# 33 -- The Maze Runner

2011-04-24T11:15:00.003-05:00

The Maze Runner by James Dashner is another novel in the dystopia genre. It's the first in a trilogy, the second book The Scorch Trials has just recently been published and the last book will be titled The Death Cure.

This book reminded me of a civilized, end-of-the-world version of The Lord of the Flies (though I haven't read that since high school), except that there are "others" somewhere in control of the maze and it's inhabitants.

It was a hard book to start (of course I was coming off being sick and didn't really feel like reading), but I did WANT to read it and so I pushed through. I'm beginning to "hate" these books that are part of a series though. I'm tired of reading and waiting for the end, only to find out that I'll have to read another book or two to really understand the story as a whole.

I don't know if I'll read the other two books in this trilogy. I'll have to wait and see, but this book was interesting and I enjoyed it.

# 32 -- The Cleaner

2011-04-24T08:13:00.006-05:00

This story was good, but might have been easier to follow if I was reading it instead of listening to it. There were lots of characters and the story moves all over the planet.

It started in one setting (northern mid-west of the U.S., I think) and ends up in Europe. The plot twists and turns and adds layers until I had totally forgotten where we had started from. (Of course that could have been my ill health and the fact that it took so long for me to finish the book.)

There are other stories with this character (Jonathan Quinn) and I wouldn't mind reading another one to see if the next one is more tightly written....sometimes the first novel is always the hardest one to read and the writer gets better the more they hone their craft.

This is not an excuse....only an explanation!

2011-04-24T08:04:00.003-05:00

I haven't posted anything in a month. I hate that, because I was really doing well at the beginning of the year. HOWEVER....I got strep throat, a sinus infection and bronchitis ALL AT THE SAME TIME over Spring Break....go me! I felt horrible and didn't read for almost two weeks!

When we came back to school after Spring Break, I send my computer to the "shop" for an upgrade and had to backup all my files onto a flash drive. My reading Excel sheet was one of those files so I couldn't access it for a few days and THEN I misplaced the flash drive. I know, I know....don't even get me started....

Anyway, that's what it's been like for the last month. Just crazy stuff happening, and me not getting my posts done. But now, I'm back! I've got my list caught up and I'm going to try to get all caught up here in the next day or so....hope I haven't completely lost you! :)

On, and BTW.....HAPPY EASTER!

I am Reading!

2011-04-07T10:07:00.002-05:00

I just haven't been able to write anything recently. My computer was in the shop and I've been busy at work. I've got two or three books to write about so I'll try to get to them this weekend!

# 31 -- Treachery in Death

2011-03-20T21:34:00.004-05:00

I LOVE J.D. ROBB! Okay, I know it's Nora Roberts and honestly, I've never read anything else she's written except the J. D. Robb books, but maybe that will change.

I love her writings about Detective Eve Dallas and have read ALL 32 books she's written in the series! I've mostly listened to them via my iPod because the woman who narrates them, Susan Ericksen, is AMAZING! She does all the voices and you believe there are different people speaking when she goes from character to character.

I'm going to branch out and read some Nora Roberts and I think I'll look into some of the other books that Susan Ericksen has narrated as well. Both should be enjoyable!

# 30 -- Assassin

2011-03-11T12:20:00.003-06:00

I think I would have done better to read this book instead of listen to it. My husband has read most of Ted Bell's books, I think and he really enjoys them. I think there was just so much going on and so many subplots that I had a hard time following all the characters and story lines. That happens sometimes with very action-filled plots. I didn't expect to end up where we did, based on the beginning of the story.

I might read another by Ted Bell, but I'll get the print copy to see if it reads easier.

#29 -- Queen and Country

2011-03-07T20:09:00.005-06:00

Really interesting book! I love most things British and the monarchy is one thing I find fascinating. I love watching the History channel movies about the royal family and I enjoyed the Christmas address from the Queen when we were in London for the holidays (see below).

This book takes you from the first moments of Elizabeth's succession after her father's death to her Golden Jubilee. It covers most of the major events we've seen as Americans and some we didn't see. She is an incredible woman.

#28 -- Chasing Lincoln's Killer

2011-03-06T09:46:00.002-06:00

I've actually had this book beside my chair in the living room for a couple of months. I knew I wanted to read it, but I kept putting it off, reading other titles that came across my desk. This weekend, I decided to just go ahead and open the cover. To my surprise, it read very quickly and had some wonderful pictures and documents that support the story of Booth's assassination of President Lincoln. I finished it in less than 24 hours.

I think most people are familiar with the story, but I thought the whole event took a day or two, with Booth being chased into a barn and captured right after he's shot Lincoln. This is not the case and the events actually span about 12 days or so. There was so much more to the story, I'm glad I read the book and learned about the entire conspiracy. Really interesting!

#27 -- Blindsided

2011-03-06T09:35:00.004-06:00

Blindsided, by Priscilla Cummings, is an outstanding book about a teenager who has to face the fact that she is losing her sight. She goes through the denial, depression, frustration and hope that anyone would experience given the circumstances.

This is something I think about on a regular basis. I have had problems with my vision since 1st grade. I wore a patch over one eye to strengthen the one that was weak, I've worn glasses as long as I can remember, have had two holes in my retina repaired by laser surgery and fight the larger floaters and torn membranes inside my eye that obscure my vision daily. I don't fear blindness necessarily, but I think about the possibility of it in my future. My brother may have the same thoughts. He has had two retina detachments and had surgery to correct both. We inherited some crazy genes somewhere along the way. It can be very frustrating.

Reading this book, gave me hope that if something happens to my vision in the future, there are options available. I need only to have the strength and determination to make the change if need be. Until then, I thank God everyday that I still have my sight.

# 26 -- Dirty Little Secrets

2011-03-04T19:27:00.002-06:00

Dirty Little Secrets, by C. J. Omololu, is a novel that covers a topic that until recently was totally behind closed doors.

Hoarding is a compulsive disorder that causes people to keep so much "stuff" that it takes over their homes and their lives. There are hoarders that are "organized" (with boxes and everything stacked in neat rows to the ceiling) and there are those that walk on top of the items they have accumulated and can't see the floor. Hoarding has become a topic of discussion lately because of the television show on A&E, but you still might not know if the person you work with or the kid in your class lives in those conditions.

This novel is told from the perspective of a teenager forced to keep her mother's hoarding a secret and will go to great lengths to do so. I found myself hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, and was totally taken by the ending.

# 25 -- Happily Ever After

2011-03-02T21:39:00.002-06:00

I just recently found out that Amazon gives away different Kindle titles for free. It's not always the same book, and the list changes often, so if you went to pick this title it might not be $0.00 now. I got it for free, however, and loved it!

It's a Christian fiction novel (the 1st in a series) and I really enjoyed it. Cute story, neat characters, interesting setting. I'll be looking for the others in this series.

In the past, I've thought that if the books were "free" they might not be very good, but I'm not finding that to be true with the digital editions. Barnes and Noble and Borders give away free titles as well. Makes it nice to have several titles waiting on me that I didn't have to pay for. One of my friends said, "I feel rich when I have 4 or 5 titles waiting for me." I would totally agree!

# 24 -- Beastly

2011-02-25T19:13:00.005-06:00

Beastly, by Alex Flynn, is a modern-day Beauty and the Beast tale. It is set in New York City and involves teenagers instead of adults. The story is very similar to the classic tale you may know, but the telling is worth reading and I enjoyed it very much.

Now about the movie....if you haven't seen the trailers yet, you will soon. It makes an impression when you see the young man's transformation on screen. I'm looking forward to the movie, but don't expect it to be like the novel. First, because they rarely are and second, because I think you need to take the movie at it's own value without comparing it to the book.

# 23 -- Poverty Bay

2011-02-22T19:13:00.002-06:00

I enjoyed reading Poverty Bay, by Earl Emerson. I had forgotten that I'd read his first book that introduced his private eye, Thomas Black. This one had several twists and turns and kept me guessing right up until the end. (Of course, I don't try to figure out my books before I get to the end.)

I've got the next one, but won't read it for a little while. I've learned my lesson about reading all the books in an author's bibliography. It keeps me from burning out.

# 22 -- Confessions of a Shopaholic

2011-02-21T17:54:00.003-06:00

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella is a laugh-out-loud read! I listened to this one on my iPod and I can't tell you how many times I groaned, laughed, or yelled "NO!" to the main character (Rebecca) when she was about to do something foolish. If other people around me were paying attention, they probably thought I'd lost my mind! I also loved that the book was set in London! Hearing about some of the places I've been made me want to go back!

The sad thing is that I was just like Rebecca several years ago. I was $50,000 in debt and not paying attention to where my finances were headed. When I finally "woke up" it was horrible! Luckily, I had a wonderful husband who supported me emotionally while I took care of my money problems. Now I'm debt free and love not having to worry about that "cloud" hanging over my head. However, I don't know if you are every truly FREE from the want/need to spend. I just make a conscience effort every day to watch where my money goes and don't let it get away from me.

# 21 -- Dewey

2011-02-13T19:50:00.002-06:00

Dewey: The Small-town Library Cat Who Changed the World is a wonderful story about what libraries mean to people all over the country AND about the impact an animal can have with the people they love.

If our legislature would read this book, they might begin to understand how important libraries are and what they mean to the communities they serve. It's not just about the information housed within the walls, but the people and the interactions that happen within those walls as well. We need libraries and we need people to come together over something like a sweet kitten in need instead of how to cut budgets and tell people they are unnecessary.

# 20 -- Last Sacrifice

2011-02-11T20:00:00.004-06:00

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead is the last book in the Vampire Academy series. I've enjoyed reading this series because it was different than the other vampire novels, but that's not saying much....all the vampire series are different. They have different ideas about vampires, how they live and react with humans, and what their motivation is for survival. But, some are stranger than others. I like the cast of characters in this series even though I think the story may have gone on one book too long. I was more than ready for the story to come to an end and found this ending anticlimactic.

# 19 -- The Chosen One

2011-02-05T12:27:00.003-06:00

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams was a quick and furious read. There was a real love/hate relationship as I read the story because it involves a religious sect and a young woman within that sect that wants to change how things are. What they do and how they do it, made my blood boil, especially given some of the topics in the news over the last few years, but the story itself was fast-paced and I couldn't put it down. I finished in it one day.

I will definitely look at more of Williams novels and read as many as I can.

# 18 -- Listen

2011-02-03T18:42:00.004-06:00

Listen by Rene Gutteridge is a Christian fiction story about the power of words. The novel begins with a website created in a small town that posts everything people say in private.

It really makes you think about how what you say can hurt someone else even if they hear it second or third hand. There is also quite a bit of suspense and drama flowing through the secondary storylines.

I enjoyed it. However, I read it on my eReader (I won't tell you which one I have except that's it's an older type) and I didn't enjoy that part of it. This particular reader is not as easy to read as the new Kindle or Nook and the page-turning feature leaves something to be desired.

I'm still trying to decide if I want to buy an eReader for myself (the one I have was given to me via the district because of our new Digital Library). I've tried out a few of my friends devices, but can't decide which one I would like to own. I also don't want to spend a TON of money. Thankfully, most of the newer eReaders are much more affordable. I'm just going to have to keep looking and see if I can find one right for me.

Oops! I forgot to add my penguin rating:

# 17 -- The Dirty Parts of the Bible

2011-02-02T11:27:00.003-06:00

I got this book free on my iTouch Kindle app. I friend had recommended it to me, and Amazon said if I liked Water for Elephants (one of my all-time favorites), then I might like this title as well.

I did like it, though it is a little crass in some parts, it had a "sweet" story throughout. It's set during the Depression and is actually based on the story of the author's grandparents (I think). The main character is the son of a preacher in Michigan, who travels to Texas to meet the relatives he's never seen. He actually ends up in Glen Rose, which I found "funny" because I just recently spend the weekend in Glen Rose.

If you can get past the few cuss words and the "coming of age" issues young boys have, you'll enjoy the story. The author could have left most of that out, but he didn't.

# 16 -- Out of My Mind

2011-02-01T18:24:00.004-06:00

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper was WONDERFUL!

This is the story of an eleven year old girl (Melody) with cerebral palsy who is trapped in a body that doesn't allow her to express herself or the brilliant mind she has. The story is told from Melody's point of view and runs the gamut of emotions. I will honestly tell you that Chapter 15 made me cry....if you are a parent, it will make you cry, too.

The great thing about this story is that I could see some of the children I've known in my schools (both "normal" and like Melody) within this story. You've GOT TO READ this book!

# 15 -- Death Qualified

2011-02-01T10:37:00.003-06:00

This was a long novel to listen to on my iPod. I downloaded it from one of the digital libraries close to home, and it was in 14 parts (about an hour each). It got to the point where I just wanted the story to be done. There was a problem with the recording and it would repeat sections over, which was frustrating.

I had a difficult time keeping up with the story and characters. There were many layers and so many people to keep up with, it was hard to keep it all straight. The ending was also unsatisfying to me. I don't know if I'll pick up another one by this author or not. Maybe next time I'll read it in print.

Reading Challenge for MHS

2011-01-31T18:26:00.002-06:00

So I've started a reading challenge at my high school....we have 44 teachers/staff participating in 10 groups. Each week, the groups total up the number of pages they read and take an average for the group. The group with the most pages read by May 25th will get a free lunch at the restaurant of their choice....

Today was the first week to turn in their totals. I was so proud of our groups, so many pages read! Of course, I'm going to have to tie up a couple of teachers....one read 1600 pages last week and the other one on her team read 1400. The GROUP AVERAGE for that team was 1065 pages (the other two members of the team read 1000 pages between them)! Good Grief! I thought I was doing well reading 900+. We've got our work cut out for us. Somebody give them something else to do so the rest of us can get caught up!

# 14 -- Worth Dying For

2011-01-31T18:18:00.003-06:00

Jack Reacher is one of the BEST characters out there! Lee Child's brainchild is a former military MP who now drifts around the country righting wrongs. He is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I'm a little in love with him!

Though you could pick up these books and read them on their own, I would start at the beginning (Killing Floor) and read them in order. Not because you couldn't enjoy them alone, but because you learn so much about Reacher in each story that you wouldn't want to come in at the end of the story and not understand the path he's been on to get to where he is. Truly outstanding!

# 13 -- Bloody Valentine

2011-01-31T18:09:00.003-06:00

I love the Blue Bloods series by Melissa De La Cruz! This title, Bloody Valentine, is the latest addition to the series and is actually three short stories that tell you more about some of the characters from the main storyline.

What I like about this series is that it is so different from other vampire novels because the vampires are in a war between good and evil, Heaven and Hell, and a fight between the angels and Lucifer. Very interesting!

# 12 -- Nowhere to Run

2011-01-31T18:00:00.004-06:00

C. J. Box is one of my favorite authors! I love his Joe Pickett character (a Wyoming fish and game warden). He gets himself into so much "trouble" and has such a great sense of justice. This one kept me on the edge of my seat!

I've read all these (except it looks like I skipped the one right before this) and I suggest you start at the beginning with Open Season. It will make more sense if you read them in order and you'll get more out of the other characters that way, I think.

I've been reading, but....

2011-01-31T06:38:00.002-06:00

I've also been sick this week and BUSY, BUSY, BUSY with school obligations. I've actually got three or four books to post here and will do so as soon as I can! Wait until I tell you about the Reading Challenge we are doing at my school! Check back soon!

# 11 -- The Butcher's Boy

2011-01-23T16:32:00.004-06:00

I listened to The Butcher's Boy by Thomas Perry on my iPod. It's an older book (published in 1982) and has mafia hit men and the Justice Dept. involved. The forward talks about what a great story it is and the characters, but honestly, I had a difficult time keeping up. I think if I had been reading it instead of listening to it, it would have been easier. However, the plot moved from two main characters, on two different storylines, and there was no transition between the two when you listen. I got lost several times and had to just bluff my way through until I could pick the storyline back up again.

# 10 -- Streams of Babel

2011-01-23T14:52:00.003-06:00

The quote on the front of this YA novel by Carol Plum-Ucci says, "Don't drink the water -- bioterrorists fuel a suburban nightmare." This story so permeated my thoughts as I read it that I found myself not drinking out of my faucets at home. I have a 5 gallon jug on a dispenser in my office and every time I took a drink, I had second thoughts. It was creepy.

Full of interesting characters and much deeper than I thought it would be at the beginning, I really enjoyed the story.

# 9 -- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

2011-01-16T16:01:00.003-06:00

This book is a small biography about FDR. I really enjoyed reading it, and learned a lot about the man and his ideas. Though I was a history teacher and love learning about history, I was unaware of some of the background that surrounded FDR and his many programs. The book offers wonderful illustrations and images of the time period and also provides good connections for younger readers. It even helped me put some some items into better focus and understand how Roosevelt's four terms worked for the American people.

# 7 & #8 -- Death Flight & Num8ers

2011-01-15T12:18:00.004-06:00

I used to read a lot of Ed McBain. In fact, there was a time when I read ALL the 87th Precinct books he'd written. This is the first thing I've read by him in close to 19 years. What happened? I got burned out.

That was about the time, I really got "turned on" to books, but was still immature in my reading selections. I didn't know how to choose good books for myself and when I found an author I liked, that was all I would read. The problem with that, is you sometimes get burned out by the characters or the storylines. McBain had already written a huge amount of titles by the time I was reading them, so I didn't have to "wait" for the next one to come out in a year.

Back then, I did that with several authors and have not picked up anything else they've written. I guess I'm going to have to go back and test the waters with them and see if I can read them now. I forgot how much I liked McBain's style.

Num8ers, by Rachel Ward was an interesting read. It's about a young girl in London who sees a number when she looks into people's eyes. The number is the day of their death. She struggles against this knowledge she has of strangers and people she loves and tries to find a way to live with the numbers.

The language is different because it is written in a British setting, but it only adds to the story. And the story has a fast pace, twists and turn and a surprise ending I loved!

# 6 -- Nevermore

2011-01-11T18:12:00.002-06:00

This photobiography of Edgar Allan Poe is an interesting read for any Poe fan. I found out all kinds of "stuff" about the tormented writer, and I loved the photos.

# 5 -- Kill Me

2011-01-09T14:11:00.002-06:00

This book was so good! The twists and turns, the whole premise of the story, makes for very exciting reading! I've read other Stephen White books before, but haven't picked up any in a while. This book makes me want to go out and get everything he's written.

If you need a good thriller that will make you think, pick up a copy of Kill Me!

# 4 -- Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer

2011-01-08T18:34:00.003-06:00

It makes me so happy when an adult author writes good books for Young Adults! I've enjoyed John Grisham's court room dramas and I've loved his other fiction stories probably more, but I didn't know if he could pull off an interesting YA book. Theodore Boone was a pleasant surprise. I would love to see him write more of these. I really enjoyed it! The characters are interesting and "Teddy" is quite a kid!

# 3 -- The Help

2011-01-04T19:12:00.004-06:00

I can't tell you how much I love this book! I've now read it twice (once in print and once via audio) and it was just as good the second time around. I found the audio book very entertaining due to the quality of the reading and the different voices that help keep the story-line separate.

Kathryn Stockett did an exceptional job writing this book, and I am happy to learn that it is going to be a movie later this year. If you haven't read it yet, make sure to put it on your list and read it soon!

# 2 -- Sugar Changed the World

2011-01-04T10:07:00.004-06:00

One of my goals this year is to read more nonfiction and to change up my genre choices. I'm a slave to my mystery/thriller books and want to expand my reading base. This book: Sugar Changed the World, by Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos, was a step in that new direction.

The book is written for school libraries and approaches the subject like a student might with a research question. I found it to be informative and interesting. I did not understand the way the sugar industry had come about, and learned much with this reading. I also appreciated the note at the end of the book that was written to the teachers and librarians to explain the process the writers took to create the book with their research.

# 1 for 2011 -- The Sunday Philosophy Club

2011-01-02T15:56:00.004-06:00

The Sunday Philosophy Club was an okay read. I'll be honest, it's harder for me to read British writers and I sometimes get bogged down in their descriptions and storylines. It doesn't mean it's not a good book, just that I have a harder time pulling through it. If I'm reading in complete silence, it goes quickly and I enjoyed the subject of this mystery, but trying to read while my husband watched tv or my daughter played on the computer close to me just wasn't working. I have to stay much more focused on a British writer than I do on American authors and sometimes I just don't have the time or space to do so.

Thank You 2010!

2010-12-31T20:11:00.002-06:00

Thanks to a great 2010; I set a goal to read 100 books and got 110 instead! For 2011, I've set some new goals....111 books, lose weight, get in shape, keep blogging, and minimize the clutter in my home office.

One of the ways I'm going to de-clutter is to post my books on the book swap for goodreads. I really like the site a lot and if you are a reader, you should take a look at it. Not only can I list the books I've read or want to read, but I can swap books with other book lovers and only pay the price for shipping. I look forward to swapping some of my books to free up space and clean out that room!
my read shelf:

I'm in the middle of two books right now that will carry over to 2011. I could have finished another book, but my husband complained that all I had done this holiday is READ! I didn't read much the last two days, but will make that up easily.

Happy New Year! Happy Reading in 2011!

Number 110 -- The Omnivore's Dilemma

2010-12-29T17:05:00.002-06:00

The Omnivore's Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You Eat, by Michael Pollan, was eye-opening to say the least! I read the "Young Readers Edition" because that's what we had at the MHS Library, but I doubt it is too far off his original adult publication. What I appreciate about Pollan's writing is that he's not preachy or theoretical in his approach, but simply gives us the facts as he knows them. And he does know his "stuff" because the book is full of HIS experiences with the different types of food cycles he talks about.

I've explored some of the websites he lists in the book and will forever change the way I look at what the supermarket gives me to eat. I wanted to make a change in the way I ate in the New Year, and this book has given me the foundation I needed and a plan to follow! I'll let you know how it goes.

Number 109 -- Bullet Point

2010-12-28T16:30:00.003-06:00

Bullet Point, by Peter Abrahams, is a face-paced YA thriller. It started a little slow for me in the first few chapters, but soon gained speed. I was disappointed in the last page, but the story played out and the questions were answered in the end.

I've read other books by Abrahams (most recently Reality Check -- really good!) and will make a point to read whatever else of his we have in our library.

Number 108 -- Literary Tattoos

2010-12-27T19:25:00.005-06:00

You may not be like me, but I like tattoos! I don't know why exactly, but I find them beautiful and fascinating. I have one (it's Opus reading a book, which I got after I received my Masters of Library Science in 2004), and to the chagrin of my husband, I would like several more! (My husband spent 35 years in the military and has ZERO tattoos!)

My daughter bought this book for me this Christmas. It is filled with tattoos based on literary themes, quotes and book illustrations. If you like literature, or tattoos, or both, it's a wonderful book to look through. The stories that go along with some of the tattoos are very interesting, too!

Number 107 -- Guts

2010-12-27T15:32:00.003-06:00

If you've ever read Hatchet or any of the other "Brian books" (Brian's Return, Brian's Winter, The River, or Brian's Hunt) you need to read Guts, by Gary Paulsen. This autobiography tells of Paulsen's real-life adventures that led to his writing of Hatchet and the Brian character. It is truly amazing the life that this one man has led.

Number 106 -- My Life in Dog Years

2010-12-27T08:50:00.002-06:00

Gary Paulsen is one of my favorite writers! I didn't even know about him until I became an elementary librarian a little over 7 years ago. I'm sure I had heard about him, but had never read or made a connection to his stories. When I moved into the elementary library, I found the students and teachers talking about Hatchet and I felt like I needed to read the book as well. I was completely hooked! When I finished, I gave the book to my husband and after he read it, he asked me to get all the other "Brian books" for him to read.

My Life in Dog Years was mentioned by The Book Whisperer (Donalyn Miller) during a staff development she was presenting. I hadn't thought about looking into the "real life" stories of Gary Paulsen, but as soon as I got back to the library, I found we had not only this book but also Guts (which is next on the pile to read). My husband has read them both over this holiday break and now I am enjoying them as well. As far as I'm concerned, any book by Paulsen is a MUST READ!

Number 105 -- The Justice Game

2010-12-27T08:39:00.004-06:00

The Justice Game by Randy Singer was really good! The quote on the front of the cover, under the title, reads: "[Singer] is every bit as enjoyable as John Grisham" -- Publishers Weekly-- I would totally agree! And what I like most is that Singer is a Christian and writes about his characters struggles with God and religion.

Before reading this book (I actually have an Advance Reader Copy I picked up at TLA), I visited his website and found that he has several books published. I'm going to be looking for them and try to read them all. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline very much. If you like courtroom drama, you'll want to read The Justice Game.

Number 104 -- Up Close: Harper Lee

2010-12-22T07:58:00.004-06:00

Kerry Madden's writing about the life of Harper Lee worried me in the beginning. The first few chapters read like a bad student biography: born this date, father born this date, mother born this date, father and mother met, etc. I wondered if I would want to read the rest of the story, especially understanding that Harper Lee is a difficult person to write about.

Though she is a famous author, Harper Lee lives a very private life and does not give interviews. Madden, picks up the pace, however, when she gets into the story of how Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird and includes many wonderful anecdotes from friends and family who know Lee well. After finishing the book, I'm going to go back and watch the film again (there is quite a bit about her part in the making of the movie). I will also have to read In Cold Blood (by Truman Capote) again after realizing the part she played in the writing of that story.

If you decide to read this short biography, don't let the first few chapters turn you away from a very interesting finish.

Rating What I Read

2010-12-21T08:53:00.002-06:00

Several people have asked if I would "rate" the books I've read. I was thinking about stars, thumbs up or thumbs down, but I've decided on my favorite thing in the whole wide world -- PENGUINS!

So, from now on, I will use these little guys to tell you how much I like a book:

Number 103 -- Possessing Jessie

2010-12-21T08:32:00.003-06:00

Possessing Jessie, by Nancy Springer, is a short, quick read (only 88 pages) about a young girl dealing with the death of her brother. As the title suggests, it does deal with possession and would be considered a "light" horror story. Though it was easy to read, there is no real resolution at the end and I felt neither here nor there about the book. I think young adults would enjoy it, but for me, it was more of an "eh" (one shoulder shrug) read.

(see post after this one to understand the penguins!)

Number 102 -- Matched

2010-12-20T17:02:00.003-06:00

Have you read The Giver, Unwind, or The Hunger Games? Like the dystopian storyline? Then you've got to read Matched by Ally Condie.

This story focuses on The Society and begins with a young girl turning 17 and meeting her "match;" the young man The Society has chosen for her. Though the ceremony goes as planned, the information she is given about her match includes the picture of a different young man. What could it possibly mean?! Is it a mistake? The Society doesn't make mistakes!

I've heard that dystopian storylines are going to be more prevalent in YA literature, and that writers are moving away from the supernatural (vampires, werewolves, etc.). I like both, so we shall see what comes out next year. Regardless, if the story is well written, I will want to read it!

Speaking of reading....I finished this story while on a weekend vacation to Beaver's Bend State Park with my family. There are no tv's there and we spent our days walking the trails, driving and looking at deer (we saw 45 the first day!), and reading. My husband and daughter both finished a book while we were there as well. Nice to just sit in a cabin and read in the quiet with your family around you, and the fire crackling in the fireplace!

Number 101 -- Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson

2010-12-16T18:42:00.003-06:00

This is my first audio book to discuss on my blog, but I listen to audio books all the time! I have them in my car, on my iPod and playing from my computer. My husband shakes his head when he comes into the house and hears a book blasting from the computer while I cook or when I'm vacuuming and he can't talk to me, because my iPod is all the way up so I can "read" while I work. It makes housework much more enjoyable!

I like James Patterson and have read many of his Alex Cross books. This one is different, in that the story is told by Alex Cross from one of the stories his grandma used to tell him as a boy. Set in the early 1900's, the story follows a young white lawyer who is sent back to his home town in Mississippi to investigate nearby lynchings. The story goes behind the scenes with several characters and reveals their struggles for safety in a corrupt and volatile period in our history.

Number 100! -- Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick

2010-12-15T20:53:00.003-06:00

"It was not a face stroked into creation by God's loving hand, but battered into shape by the Devil's hammer." What a way to describe the antagonist in a novel!

Revolver is set in the early 1900's in the Arctic wilderness. A boy finds his father dead on the ice, learns about secrets from the past, and fights for the survival of his family. Interesting gun facts are sprinkled throughout the novel as well.

I originally pick this book up because I am intrigued by guns. My husband is retired military and carried a gun for many years during his service. I've grown up around them and am not afraid of them, when they are used and stored properly and when those around them are educated about safety. The revolver, in particular, has always been one that fascinates me with it's simplicity and beauty.

What I like about Sedgwick's book is that the revolver has a story of it's own and is intertwined into the life of the young man in the novel. That story is much deeper and has more value than you might expect on the surface. Going to have to read more by this author!

Number 99 -- Mistletoe Murder

2010-12-13T21:07:00.003-06:00

Everyone needs a guilty pleasure. I've said before that I'm not big on the cheesy romance novels (if you are, I don't judge -- just not for me). However, I love a cheesy mystery. And I don't use the term "cheesy" with disdain....I LOVE it! It's a total guilty pleasure!

Mistletoe Murder is the first in the Lucy Stone Mysteries set in Maine. This one obviously takes place around Christmas and is full of twists and turns. Set in a delightful town, I look forward to reading more of Leslie Meier's books. She has 17 other Lucy Stone novels around specials days on the calendar. Check out the website Stop You're Killing Me to see the whole collection.

BTW, Stop You're Killing Me is a great site to make sure you haven't missed the next book in your favorite series, or find a new series you might like to read.

How do I keep count?

2010-12-11T16:21:00.002-06:00

To keep up with my book count, I use an Excel worksheet that my wonderful father created for me. I list the day I start reading a new book, the day I finish reading it, the title, author, type (Adult, YA, fiction or nonfiction) and number of pages. I like being able to see how many of a certain type of book I read and how many pages I average for the year. At the bottom of the list is a SUM of all the pages I've read and an average of pages per book. Right now, I've read over 30,000 pages, so I'm averaging about 308 pages per book.

Not bad, if I do say so myself!

I think I might add a genre column to see more specifically what types of books I read and make sure I'm hitting lots of different topics instead of my old mystery/suspense standby. Of course, if you want to keep a list of books you read, you don't have to be as detailed as I am. The list does come in handy though, when I can't remember if I've read a book and can search back through the years to see if it's on the list.

FYI...in 2008 I read 81 books (avg. 355 pages - 28,775 total pages) and in 2009 I read 79 books (avg. 329 pages - 26,013 total pages). I haven't decided what my goal for next year will be yet. I'll have to decided before January 1st.

Number 98 -- Hourglass

2010-12-11T08:38:00.003-06:00

Hourglass by Claudia Gray, is the third in the Evernight series. Though it is "another vampire book," the story is different than what you might have read before. I'm impressed by the characters and by the way Gray is able to take me completely by surprise.

I read for pleasure, and don't try to figure things out ahead of time. Usually, I understand the direction a story is going, but in the first two books of this series (Evernight and Stargazer), there was a point in the novel where I had a "what just happened?!" moment and was startled by what I had just read.

If you like vampire stories, you'll like this one, but it also has lots of twists, turns, action, and drama. I will have to go and find out where I can get the next installment (Afterlife). We don't have it yet in our library, so I'll have to make sure it finds it's way to our list of new books to buy for next year!

Number 97 -- The Book Whisperer

2010-12-10T18:36:00.003-06:00

Just finished The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller. A truly outstanding book on "teaching" reading. Unlike any other professional book I've read in a long time and worth every moment. Wish I'd had it when I was still in the classroom! If you love books, reading, and kids, READ this book! I just found out it has it's own Facebook page! How cool is that!?

A couple of my favorite quotes from the book:

"No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance." -- Atwood H. Townsend (p. 47)

"I can never express who I really am in my own words as powerfully as my books can." (p. 173)

The second quote scares me a little because it makes me wonder what my book choices say about me! I will confess that I am not a lover of classics (though I do have a few favorites) and have not read as many as some of my colleagues; nor do I intend to. I'm not a fan of fantasy (as a whole) or science fiction. I like love stories, but not mushy romance. What I do enjoy is mystery/suspense! I often joke that if the book has a cop and a dead body, I'll read it. However, I am not a slave to any one genre, and will try any new book. After much pain and frustration over the years I have given myself permission to abandon a book that does not interest me. It wasn't easy to release the guilt of it, but once I did, I felt free to make choices I might not have in the past. And I certainly wouldn't be reading 100 books in a year if I was bogged down in a novel that bored me and stalled my progress.

New Start BEFORE the New Year!

2010-12-10T14:14:00.004-06:00

I've said it before, but this time I MEAN it!

I'm going to change a lot of things in the New Year, but I'm using the holidays as my spring board. One of the changes I'm going to make is adding blogging to my reading goal this year. No, I'm not going to read more blogs (I already have a long list I subscribe to), but rather blog ABOUT what I'm reading.

The suggestion came from several people who heard about my goal of reading 100 books in 2010. At this moment, I am about to finish #97, am half way through #98, and am 2/3 the way into #99. Having said that, I talk about the number of books I've read, but rarely have the time to discuss WHAT I'm reading. That is what I plan to use my blog for from now on.

So, if you want to go along on this ride with me, and possibly find something YOU might like to read, check back and see what's next.

Photo by moriza, and used under the Creative Commons license.

Working Late

2010-09-30T19:46:00.002-05:00

It's nice to keep the library open late some nights so students can get their work done. They come in, get down to business and work quietly. I even got some work done as well. Makes for a nice end to the day.

Back to School....

2010-08-10T19:43:00.002-05:00

Just created this Glog for the library's front page, but I don't know if I'll be able to post it there or not because of embedding issues. We've got a blog for the library, too, but it has so many ads on it, we may change it this year. I don't like having links put in for me that I didn't choose to add. (Of course the other blog is not with Blogger.)

Movies and Books

2010-06-30T09:46:00.004-05:00

Took my daughter to the midnight showing of Eclipse last night. It was amazing! Mostly, I am not a fan of movies from books, but lately it seems directors and screen writers have gotten better at it. The Harry Potter series is a good example. Obviously you can't fit EVERYTHING from the book in the movie, but they do a good job trying. I'm ready for the end, however and look forward to the two part ending this November and next July.

The Twilight series has been the same. There were some things in the beginning that put me off, but I decided to watch the movie for it's own sake and try not to compare it too much to the books. My daughter and I spent Tuesday watching the first two installments again (we own both Twilight and New Moon) and we talked through both of them about how this or that was different from the book or not in the story at all. My husband finally told us to shut up because we were ruining the movie for him (even though he's seen it before AND came in mid-way through and acted like he wasn't interested). I would have to say, for me, Eclipse is the best so far (it was my favorite of the books as well).

I appreciate the people working on the movie try hard to "get it right." One of my earliest disappointments as a teenage movie watcher was Cujo, by Stephen King. The book, scared me to death, but the movie let me down because they changed the ending. I felt betrayed! As an adult, I understand better the idea of making the audience "happy" but still feel that the makers of Cujo ruined the credibility of the story.

TALL Texans Video

2010-06-29T15:34:00.001-05:00

I was lucky enough to go to the TALL Texan Leadership Institute this summer. I learned so much and made new friends. Here's a look at our week.

My Baby's Not a Baby Anymore!

2010-06-29T09:01:00.000-05:00

Cookie Monster in the Library

2009-09-24T18:38:00.000-05:00

I love Sesame Street!

Tell Me Why

2009-09-24T18:18:00.003-05:00

If you haven't heard this kid, you need to! What a powerful song (and voice)!

New Job!

2009-09-03T08:56:00.003-05:00

I've got a new job this year....I'm one of the librarians at Mesquite High School!

WooHoo! Go Skeeters!

My entire educational career I have had a horse as a mascot. I'm so happy to be a Skeeter! Also...my high school alma mater was maroon and white, so I love being back in those colors again! Spirit days are my favorite!