Books, Books & More Books

Jenny and the Cat Club

2012-01-31T10:14:00.001-08:00

Jenny and the Cat Club by Esther Averill

Anne Marie recommended this book to me to recommend to patrons when they want a good read aloud for small children. I didn't think I would like it but I started it and immediately decided that I should read it with Olivia. The language is great and the plots are simple enough for Olivia to follow and understand.

Jenny Linsky is a shy black cat but when he owner Captain Tinker gives a handmade red scarf she feels like she can do anything. She wants to be part of the cat club that meets nightly in the garden. They tell her that she needs a special talent. Captain Tinker makes her ice skating shoes and viola she has her special talent.

Each chapter is a new story of Jenny Linsky which makes them good stopping points with Olivia. I will be recommending this story to lots of parents and children in the future.

Redwall

2012-01-26T09:18:00.000-08:00

Redwall. Book One, The Wall by Brian Jacques

I listened to this audiobook because Redwall is a very long popular series in juvenile fiction. Its about peaceful Abbey called Redwall in Mossflower Wood. They have lived in peace since Martin the Warrior fought and won for them a long time ago. Now Redwall is under attack again by Cluny, a terrible rat. Cluny wants to conquer Redwall and a young mouse named Mathias is going to save redwall.

This book is no-stop fighting action. I can see how a boy that like fantasy and action would enjoy it, but its just not my thing.

Julie of the Wolves

2012-01-25T13:04:00.000-08:00

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George

I have decided that it would be fun to try and read all the Newbery Award winners. I also decided to read this book because I get a lot of questions about it and if its appropriate for certain age groups. After reading it I think a fourth or fifth grader would be best for reading this book.

Julie is an orphan and is forced to live with her aunt. Then she is married to a boy who has learning disabilities. However, she is okay with this because she just helps her mother-in-law sew and she has a home and goes to school. However her husband tries to force her to be with him and she flees. She learns how to speak wolf and live with a pack of wolves.

This was a very quiet story but nice. I like the idea behind it and I'm glad that I read it.

Outlander

2012-01-25T12:58:00.000-08:00

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Many people have told me to read Outlander and so we read it for book discussion group. This is a love story between Claire and Jaime in Scotland in 1743. Claire lives in 1945 but she walks through a stone and gets transported back 1743. She is forced to marry Jaime to save her life but ends up falling in love with him. This is a part of a longer series.

The Future of Us

2012-01-01T20:45:00.000-08:00

The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

Its the 1990's and the Internet was just starting. Emma receives a new computer from her dad and her next-door neighbor Josh gives her a free AOL disk. When she installs AOL and logs in she discovers facebook. She is unsure what facebook is but she quickly discovers herself 10 years later. She shows Josh the website and they decide together to keep it a secret. Emma is upset because it seems like her future self is very unhappy. She begins to mess with her fate hoping to make things better.

I really enjoyed this book. Another winner from Asher. I loved the cultural references from the 90s. I wanted a little more from the ending, like what happens to Emma's best friend. But it was a great book.

There is sex and drinking mentioned in this book.

*I actually finished this book in 2011 but didn't record it in time.*

Alice, I Think

2011-12-22T08:46:00.000-08:00

Alice, I Think by Susan Juby

I read this book on the recommendation of my branch manager, Sue. There were some funny parts, but I didn't think the book was awesome, just okay. Alice had a horrible experience when she was five and going into kindergarten. She thought she was a hobbit, so her mother let her go to school dressed like one. She was teased and they pulled her out and homeschooled her. Now as a teen she is trying to figure out about herself and the world. Her family is on the weird side which makes things interesting too.

The Fairy-Tale Detectives

2011-12-20T15:03:00.000-08:00

The Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley

Daphne and Sabrina Grimm's parents just disappeared one day. They have been shuttled from one foster house to the next when a grandma turns up. Daphne fells in love with her grandma immediately but Sabrina has some reservations about her. It turns out that Grandma Grimm lives in Ferryport Landing with fairytale characters. This leads the girls on a fairy tale adventure.

This was a fun read, I'm curious how the series will continue because they hit a lot of the fun fairytales. Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk was the bad guy and Prince Charming wasn't that wonderful either. Very entertaining.

Fairest

2011-12-11T16:47:00.000-08:00

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

Aza is a inn-keeper's daughter who was adopted. She isn't sure who her parents are. She is bigger than everyone else and she doesn't think she is beautiful. However, she has an amazing voice which means something in Ayortha. She ends up going to the castle for the royal wedding and gets noticed by the prince and the new queen Ivy. When the king gets hurt things start to take a turn for the worst.

This audiobook is unique because all the songs that are in the story. It wasn't really my style of singing so towards the end I started skip all the singing. Overall it was a good story, but nothing out of this world.

Unlikely Friendships

2011-12-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer S. Holland

Do you like animals? Do you enjoy heartwarming stories? If so, this is the book for you. The chapters are small, only a page or two each and the pictures are amazing. Holland compiled forty-seven stories of different animals becoming friends with another animal outside their own species. Some of the stories are from zoos, shelters, homes or the wild. Each story is unique and interesting. It didn’t take me long to finish this book and put a smile on my face. My favorite story was about a dachshund and a piglet. You don’t want to miss this book!

The New Kid at School

2011-12-06T11:08:00.000-08:00

The New Kid at School by Kate McMullan

This is the first book in the Dragon Slayers' Academy series. I wanted to see what it was about because I recently got a question about it. Its a beginner reader, a little more advance than Daisy Meadow's books.

Wiglaf wants to be a hero. His family doesn't appreciate him and make fun of him all the time. When he sees that he can learn how to slay dragons he decides to enroll in the school. On his first day of school he is charged with slaying a dragon.

It was a cute book and I can see how budding fantasy readers would enjoy it.

What Happened to Goodbye

2011-12-03T18:51:00.000-08:00

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

When Mclean's parents decided to get a divorce she blamed her mom for it. She decided to go live with her Dad. Her Dad had a type of job where they lived in a town for a few months to fix a restaurant and when its fixed they move on. At each new town she changes her name and personality. She decides at the next town to be Liz Sweet but when her homeroom teacher calls her Mclean she has to go with it. Now she isn't sure who Mclean really is.

I usually really enjoy Dessen's books but I feel like she didn't edit this one enough. It was much longer than it needed to be. Maybe it wasn't a strong enough plot, I don't know. It wasn't terrible, just not my favorite one.

The Marriage Plot

2011-11-25T16:43:00.000-08:00

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

I read this book because it was this month's choice. I was excited about it because I thought it would be a good selection because I really enjoyed Middlesex. Oh how I was wrong. It was dreadful boring and I ended up skipping about 75 pages because it was taking me so long to finish. The idea is that we always hear about the courtships right before marriage but never the actual marriage. This book follows an English major at Brown university, Madeline and her boyfriend, Leonard. Mitchell is the third student who is madly in love with Madeline but never got a chance with her. Madeline fells in love with Leonard and next thing you know he is in the hospital because he is manic depressed. Even though things are hard for her she marries him.

Even though I skipped about 75 pages at the end, I know that I didn't miss much because I picked up the book and still understood what was happening. This book reminded me a lot of Freedom. Both books were terrible and not worth my time. Next book please.

A Year Down Yonder

2011-11-23T17:42:00.000-08:00

A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

Mary Alice is forced to moved to her Grandma's house in the middle of nowhere because of the depression. She is nervous, her Grandma is a larger-than-life type of woman and doesn't fuss around about nothing. Peck tells the story of the relationship about Mary Alice and her grandmother and its a funny, sincere story. I really enjoyed it and nothing "bad" seemed to jump out to me. The voices in the audiobook were pretty good too. Two thumbs up.

J Audiobooks

2011-11-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

I listened to the following J audiobooks that could work for preschoolers:

Little Golden Treasury

The Mercy Watson Collection Vol. 3 by Kate DiCamillo

Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
I found this story a little boring, but I can see how little little kids would like it and its good for a read aloud for preschoolers.

Wither

2011-11-16T13:05:00.000-08:00

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

In the world that DeStefano creates there is a genetic malfunction. All the females die at age 20 and males die at age 25. This creates lots of problems in the society. Rhine, the main character of this book, finds herself stolen to become someone's bride. She and two other girls are forced to marry Linden. Linden truly loves Rhine but Rhine is just bidding her time until she can escape and find her twin brother.

The book was good, just a tad long and a little unbelievable. (What makes females and males dying at different ages and why 20 and 25?) Which I guess are the answers they are trying to discover in the book too. The end was a total cliffhanger so if you want to find out what happens to Rhine you must read the next book. I feel like this book was a total set-up for what's to come, rather than just telling a good story within this book.

The Secret Zoo

2011-11-06T15:28:00.000-08:00

The Secret Zoo by Bryan Chick

Noah's sister Megan went missing three weeks ago. It has destroyed his family and he wants to solve where she went. One night he receives a message and that message takes him into the zoo that back ups into his backyard. He discovers that the animals all know him and he believes they know where his sister is. One thing leads to the next and he discovers a whole another zoo, the "secret zoo" where animals are pretty smart and live in harmony with people. It turns out that his sister is trapped somewhere in the secret zoo.

I'm not quite sure why I decided to request this one. However since I did I decided to give it a try. It was pretty good but not awesome. I felt the kids were a little unbelievable has children who live today. His writing and plot got better as the story went on.

Delirium

2011-10-30T21:29:00.000-07:00

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

I read this book because it was on the best books list from last year. It took me a long time to get it on hold from the library. It was sitting on my bookshelf for a long time and I finally got around to it. At first I felt like its was the same mold, pacing, as the other young adult dystopia fiction, especially the same feeling as Matched. The idea that the government controls and watches every aspect of life, even who we are matched with for life. The only thing that is different is that they "cure" people at the age 18 so they can no longer love anyone. They don't have attachments to anyone. Lana thinks this is what she wants until she meets Alex. Alex never got cured and tells her all about living outside the city borders. She will do anything for Alex.

What I enjoy about all these dystopia books is that it really does make me think about if this type of world is possible. At the end I liked this book, the characters and plot. I was a little surprised by how she ended it. I think there is room for a sequel.

Shimmer

2011-10-28T16:58:00.000-07:00

Shimmer by Alyson Noel

This was the sequel to the audiobook Radiance. Riley Bloom is on vacation and instead of relaxing and having a good time she decides to help a mean ghost Rebecca. When she crosses Rebecca she ends up trapping her dog Buttercup and her trainer Bodie in their own personal hells. She has to get them out or they will be trapped there forever.

I thought it was mildly entertaining. It really bugged me about half-way through the book that Riley isn't growing at all. She the same bratty character and maybe she will never grow but I don't think I will continue in the series.

Wonderstruck

2011-10-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

I was excited about Selznick's newest novel because I loved The Invention of Hugo Cabret so much. He is a brilliant artist and I love how he weaves pictures with words to make a great story. I enjoyed this story more than The Invention of Hugo Cabret.

This story is about a young boy, Ben, who loses his mother in an accident. Ben is deaf in one ear. During a thunderstorm he finds a phone number to what he thinks is his father, who he never knew. He picks up the phone and is struck of lighting. He looses his hearing in his other ear, making him deaf completely. He is convinced that his father lives in New York City and runaway from home. He finds shelter in the museum and a friend.

The Paris Wife

2011-10-21T14:47:00.000-07:00

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

This book was on the best seller list for several weeks now and all my friends read the book and loved it. I thought I would give it a try. The story talks about Ernest Hemingway's first wife and the time they spent together in Paris.

I thought the first 100 pages were pretty boring. I thought the most exciting part was the last 60 pages or so when their marriage started to dissolve. I'm glad I read it because now its renewed my interest in reading Hemingway, but I don't think its a must-read book.

The Night Circus

2011-10-11T10:41:00.001-07:00

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I read this book because it had so much buzz before it was published. I was very excited to read this book because so many people said it was the "it book". I was a little disappointed, I think that The Language of Flowers was a much better book.

Celia's mother ships her to her father when she is five years old. Her father is a magican and quickly realizes Celia's potential. When she is just a young girl he enters her into a game. The opponent is yet to be determined. The opponent is an orphan named Marco and when they are teenagers they venue is a circus that is only open at night. The circus is filled with things that Celia and Marco create in their imagination, things you would never ever see.

I thought this was a very creative book. Its always hard to read two excellent books back to back so I think this book at the short end of the stick. I would recommend it to people, but only a select few, this book isn't for everyone.

The Mercy Watson Collection: Vol. 1

2011-09-29T11:03:00.000-07:00

The Mercy Watson Collection: Vol. 1 by Kate DiCamillo
Mercy Watson to the Rescue & Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride

Olivia just loves Mercy Watson. She asked if she can listen to more Mercy Watson stories. This one the Watson's bed falls into the floor and Mercy saved them by getting the neighbors all up in arms who then called the fire department. In the second story Mercy decides to try and drive the car when Mr. Watson takes her for her Saturday ride. The books always end up with everyone eating Mercy's favorite treat, toast with lots of butter.

The Great Gatsby

2011-09-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I wanted to re-read this classic book as an adult because I loved it in high school. This time around I didn't enjoy it as much. It took me about 50 pages to get into it. I did appreciate it by the end especially the twist at the end. This book has so many layers that I don't really want to get into right now. I did appreciate Fitzgerald's ability to tell a great story in less than 200 pages.

Peter and the Starcatchers

2011-09-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry

I listened to this story because a patron recommended it to me. The reader, Jim Dale, is a very famous audiobook reader. I thought he did a good job.

The book opens up to Peter and his friends, all orphans, are put on a ship but they aren't sure why or where. Peter meets Molly, a girl his age, who he really likes. There is also an old truck on the ship which no one seems to know much about but its a treasure with magical powers.

This is the beginning of the story of Peter Pan. I thought it was very exciting.

The Language of Flowers

2011-09-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

The book opens up on Victoria's 18th birthday. Victoria is a foster kid, has no parents, never knew her parents. Her social worker is moving her to a half-way house to get Victoria started with her adult life. Victoria lives there for a few weeks rent free but doesn't get a job to pay for the rent so gets kicked out. She lives on the streets for awhile when she approaches Renata, a flower shop owner about helping in the flower shop.

The chapters flipped from her current life and her journey to learn how to love and when she was a 10 year old girl leaving with Elizabeth, a woman who wanted to adopt her.

I loved this book. I loved the story, the references to the flower language and the characters. I think the ending was wrapped up a little too perfectly, almost like the author had this great idea but didn't know how to end it. But it wasn't enough for me to bother too much because overall the book was great.

The Mercy Watson Collection: Vol. 3

2011-09-16T09:34:00.001-07:00

The Mercy Watson Collection: Vol. 3 by Kate DiCamillo
Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig & Mercy Watson: Something Wonky This Way Comes

This is an audiobook for the younger set. Olivia really enjoyed listening to Mercy Watson the pig. The first one Mercy gets into her neighbor's new flowers. In the second story goes to the drive in movies and causes trouble by stealing everyone's butter popcorn. Mercy loves butter and loves butter popcorn. A fun book.

A Crooked Kind of Perfect

2011-09-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

I read this because of the music theme. I really enjoyed this title, it was a very sweet book. Zoe Elias wants to learn how to play the piano like Vladimir Horowitz. When her dad goes out to buy her a piano he comes back with a organ. She also gets 6 months of lessons with the organ. She goes home every day and practices her organ. One day a boy from her school, Wheeler, follows her home. Next thing she knows he is coming home with her every day and spending time with her father, who is too nervous to ever leave the house.

A very sweet, good nature book. I really enjoyed this book.

The Field Guide

2011-09-14T15:43:00.000-07:00

The Field Guide by Tony Diterlizzi & Holly Black

The Field Guide is the first book in The Spiderwick Chronicles. Its about the Grace family. Mallory, Jared and Simon is moving into an old run-down house of their great aunt who is in a mental hospital. On the first night in the house they discover a dumbwaiter. The smallest of the twins, Jared, crawls in and discovers a secret room on the 2nd floor. There he finds a book that tells him about faeries. That night strange things begin to happen. Everyone blames Jared, but he didn't do it. Who or what is causing so much trouble?

I read this because I've recommended it and I wanted to see what it was all about. I really enjoyed it, I want to read the other books in the series. However, I think it would scare the tame.

The Whipping Boy

2011-09-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman

In this story the prince is a very naughty boy. He always plays pranks on everyone in the castle. There is a rule that says you can't whip the prince, so he has a whipping boy. Every time the prince does something bad the boy comes in a receives the whipping for the prince. The boy is a "street rat". He decides to never ever show the prince that it hurts him, which really bothers the prince.

One night the prince goes to the whipping boy and tells him that he is running away because he is bored. Almost immediately the prince and boy are kidnapped. They switch identities for the kidnappers hoping that they will release the prince. However the prince refuses to leave the boy.

This is a Newbery Award winner. I liked it but not as much as some of the other Newbery winners I have read.

Matched by Ally Condie

2011-09-08T16:58:00.000-07:00

Matched by Ally Condie

I've heard so much about this book. I definitely think its the next Hunger Games. It reminded me of The Giver too. This dystopia fiction is a world where the "officials" (aka the government) is in charge of everything. They watch everything to create a perfect (or close to) perfect society. Cassie can't wait for her Match ceremony, where she will learn the boy who will marry and have children with. She is surprised when its her turn that the screen goes blank for a moment and her best friend Xander appears on the screen. This is rare, where the girl knows the person she is matched with. The next day she learns that she was actually matched with another boy in her town, Ky. However Ky is unmatchable. She finds herself looking at Ky in a different way and her society. She wants choices, something her society doesn't give her.

This is a trilogy and I have the second book so I will probably read it. I liked it, it gave me the chills to think that this is possible. A world where everything is mapped out for you to make it as perfect as possible.

Marty McGuire

2011-09-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

Marty McGuire by Kate Messner

Marty McGuire is in the 3rd grade. Her 2nd grade teacher told her how wonderful the third grade is, however, so far, it hasn't been so wonderful. Her best friend Annie has decided that instead of going down by the creek and collecting things she wants to be a princess. All of the girls in her class like all things girly. Marty is caught between wanting to fit in, but also wanting adventure and catching frogs.

The best thing about third grade is the third grade play. She is excited about it until she finds out that she has to play the princess. The princess is the last character she wants to be. However, her mother is forcing her to go along with the play. She is stuck being a princess! However, Marty is going to do the play with a twist.

I like the book, but I didn't love it. First chapter books are a little harder for me to enjoy because they are so simple. I think tom-girls would enjoy this title and the fun that Marty gets into.

Jennifer Murdley's Toad

2011-09-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Murdley's Toad by Bruce Coville

Jennifer believes she is ugly. She has to go to school one day wearing her brother's underwear. When she tells her best friend and swears her to secretly, her best friend tells someone else, who in turn tells the whole class. Soon Jennifer is very embarrassed. When Sharra, the mean girl in class, and others chase Jennifer she runs right in Mr. Elives magic shop. Mr. Elives lets her purchase a talking toad. (Although, she doesn't know at first that he is a talking toad). Jennifer brings the talking toad, Bufo, to school he gets so annoyed with Sharra that he kisses her, which turns her into a toad. Along the way Jennifer learns a very important lesson about herself.

This book was great with a little bit of magic. I'm going to try and book talk it to 4th graders. I'm curious about the other books in the series too, if its important to read them in order or not.

Radiance

2011-08-31T09:40:00.000-07:00

Radiance by Alyson Noel

Riley Bloom is a 12 year old who's life was cut short. Her father, mother and dog Buttercup went on to a place called Here. Riley's sister Ever was left on the earth plane. Riley finally crosses over the bridge. She finds herself in front of the council who give her a job as soulcatcher. She must convince the Radiant Boy to cross over the bridge, a task many before her failed to do. She is given a guide, Bodhi, who will help her. She immediately pegs Bodhi as a dork and doesn't really like him.

There will be something between her and Bodhi in future books, I can just tell. I didn't think I would like it because my co-worker read it and didn't really like it. I think for a juvenile fiction supernatural book this was pretty good. Nothing really bad happens, but it will satisfy the need to read a supernatural book. Plus its a series, which kids love.

Unbroken

2011-08-28T16:58:00.000-07:00

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

I'm unsure why I didn't want to read this book. I think it was because I knew that the author went through some very rough things as a POW. A little bit of me didn't want to read it because "everyone else was reading it". However, I'm glad that I was forced to read it when the bookclub picked it. I was disappointed that they picked the book, but I'm so glad that they did.

Louise Zamperini is an Olympic runner when he signs up for the marines at the beginning of WWII. He had big plans to become the first runner to hit the 4 minute mile. However, his plane goes down in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and after being afloat for 47 days he is finally rescued, but the Japanese. He becomes a POW immediately after that. I had to keep reminding myself throughout the book that he does survive, otherwise I wouldn't have continued.

At the beginning of the book I was hooked. I loved reading about his running career. When he joined the marines it became a little bit boring when he was discussing all the planes. When he got stuck in the middle of the ocean on nothing but a two person raft and an ocean filled with sharks I was interested again. It stayed good until the ending. This books makes you think about war in a different light. I was disappointed that nothing happened to "the bird". That "character" didn't evolve at all, and he was an evil man that didn't deserve to live out a somewhat normal life after the war.

So glad I read it.

The Phantom Tollbooth

2011-08-23T10:12:00.000-07:00

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

I listened to this book because so many people said I had to read it. I enjoyed it, but I thought it was a sneaky way to teach children about our language, which I guess is the cool thing about it. It was a pretty silly story.

The Looking Glass Wars

2011-08-16T15:18:00.000-07:00

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

I loved this alternate version of Alice in Wonderland. It gives the back story of how Alice in Wonderland came to be. The voices were excellent and so was the story. I may end up listening to the other two titles in this series.

Boom!

2011-08-16T15:08:00.000-07:00

Boom! by Mark Haddon

I'm on a quest to find a laugh-aloud book and this isn't it. This book does have some science fiction in it, but its good science fiction because it comes in at the end of the book. The main character spies on his teachers and hears them say something very strange. He and his best friend Charlie decide to investigate and their teachers aren't what they seem.

The Pursuit of Alice Thrift

2011-08-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

The Pursuit of Alice Thrift by Elinor Lipman

This book was recommended to me by Mary, the volunteer at the Sebastopol library. I thought it was okay. It was "second rate chick lit" in my opinion.

Clementine

2011-08-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

Clementine by Sara Pennypacker

I really enjoyed Clementine. She is in the 3rd grade and always seems to be getting into trouble. Her week started off really bad when she tried to help her best friend get glue out of her hair. Her friend asked her to cut her hair and when she did she got into big trouble. She tried to fix her friends hair by coloring it with markers and got into trouble again. Poor Clementine couldn't do anything right. One of the funny things about this book is that she calls her brother a new vegetable because she is mad that she got stuck with a fruit name and she thought it was only fair that her brother get a vegetable name. Very funny. I think fans of Judy Moody will like Clementine.

Everything on a Waffle

2011-08-01T20:15:00.000-07:00

Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath

I'm embarrassed by how little J fiction I have read since I'm not official a children's librarian. So, I'm trying to read more. I thought I should go through a cycle, J, Young Adult, Adult and back around again. I'm not sure if I will actually follow that cycle because I do need to read more J and Young Adult than Adult, but we will see. I was looking for a light funny book and Sue, my manager suggested Everything on a Waffle to me.

Primrose's mother went out into a storm on a fishing boat to fetch Primrose's father. After the storm cleared and several days go by the town decides that her mother and father didn't make it through the storm. However, Primrose knows deep down in her heart that her parents did make it and they are deserted on an island somewhere. Primrose is bounced from her very old moth smelling babysitter to her Uncle. She makes friends with the owner of a diner who put everything on a waffle (hence the title).

I liked the story, it was light reading, there were a few parts that made me smile but nothing that was laugh out loud funny to me. I don't know if there is something wrong with me because I looked on NoveList and they called it funny too. I'm going to try a few books on their "funny" list just so I have some recommendations in my back pocket.

Snow Angels

2011-07-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

Snow Angels by Stewart O'Nan

When I started this book I wasn't sure where I heard about it. I quickly realized that I read an article by Nancy Pearl and she recommended it. I looked at the book and decided it was a small enough adult book that it would get me through my endless amount of J and YA books I've been reading. Which is funny because I haven't really read that many, but I felt like I needed something with more meat on it.

This book follows two stories, one of Arthur who is dealing with his parent's divorce and Annie who used to babysit for Arthur but is now a mother herself. Annie is going through a separation herself, and her husband, Glenn, still loves her very much. Once afternoon Annie is home sick with the flu and she falls asleep on the couch. Her three year old daughter, Tara, wonders from home. When the search begins for Tara, its Arthur who found her dead in the river.

For a subject like this I must detach myself from the situation otherwise its too hard to bear to read about. There isn't really much more to the plot, but the characters and situations grabbed me. I'm glad I gave this one a chance.

Zombie Haiku

2011-07-25T14:46:00.000-07:00

Zombie Haiku by Ryan Mecum

I picked up this book because I thought it looked interesting for teenage boys. I definitely this this would appeal to teenage boys because its quite disgusting. The author tells a story for a boy being transformed into a zombie and being a zombie through Haikus which is very clever. However, its quite gory and not everyone's cup of tea.

Dealing with Dragons

2011-07-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

Elizabeth recommended this book to me as a J book she really loved. I liked it, but I'm just not much of a fantasy fan. Princess Cimorene hates being a princess because she can't do anything fun at all. So she decides to runaway become a slave to a dragon. She meets Kazul and quickly enjoys her new life. The dragons are in trouble with wizards and Cimorene might be able to help them.

Cricket in Times Square

2011-07-25T14:38:00.000-07:00

Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

Chester Cricket is from the country but one day finds himself in a picnic basket which took him to Times Square. Mario, a little boy, who's parent's own a newsstand makes him his pet. During the day he is with Mario and at night he plays with Tucker the Mouse and Harry the cat. One day Mario's parents discover that Chester can play the opera and Chester becomes very famous very fast.

I've been wanting to read this book because I recommend it as a good read aloud book for some time now. Its a pretty boring story, but I can still see it has a good read aloud book.

Frindle

2011-07-18T17:34:00.000-07:00

Frindle by Andew Clements

Nick Allen is going into the 5th grade which means that he is getting the hard English teacher. The first day of school he tries to postpone her giving the class homework. In response, she gives him an extra credit assignment. He learns about how words are developed and how they get put in the dictionary. He decides to make up his own word, Frindle, for a pen. Before he knows it he has started something and the whole town is talking about this new word.

I loved Frindle. I didn't think I would like it, but I loved the main character, Nick, I loved the teacher and the whole concept of the book.

Island Beneath the Sea

2011-07-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende

I'm glad that I finally finished an Allende book. This book too me FOREVER to finish. As my co-worker said, "It wasn't worth the effort". You follow a slave during the 1700's and her quest for freedom for her and her family. This book was simply too long. There weren't many enduring characters, with the exception of Tete and the family who raised her first son.

Mr. Popper's Penguins

2011-07-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater

I've heard so much about Mr. Popper's Penguins since I've become a children's librarian that when they made it into a movie I had to read it. Mr. Popper is a house painter who has winters off because no one wants their house painted in the winter. He lives in a small town of Stillwater but dreams of the Poles (as in the North and South pole, but particularly the north pole). He writes to a man who does research in the Poles and the Admiral sends him a penguin. Mr. Popper is thrilled with the penguin but when he gets a little lonely he writes a zoo to ask them what to do. The zoo sends him a girl penguin. Soon they have 10 baby penguins. Out of boredom Mr. Popper decides to teach the penguins an act. Since he is taking the act across the country. This is a very cute book, with nothing bad in it. It would make a good read aloud.

Impossible

2011-07-13T16:46:00.000-07:00

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

I loved this audiobook by Nancy Werlin. Lucy Scarborough lives with her adoptive mother and father. She knows her mother is Miranda who lost her mind shortly after Lucy's birth. Miranda is homeless and sometimes follows Lucy around. The big event happens on the night of Lucy's prom. Miranda shows up and creates a scene which leaves Lucy a little shaky. She is upset but decides to go to prom anyways. At her prom night she is raped. The rape isn't gone over in detail, just that it happened. She ends up pregnant at 17, almost 18 just like her mother. What she doesn't know is that she was raped by an elf in night who will take her as his own once her daughter is born if Lucy doesn't perform the three tasks in the Scarborough ballet. Lucy has something that her mother didn't have, parents who love her and a childhood friend who she falls in love with. Lucy has a chance to fight the curse.

I really enjoyed this book. I was at the edge of my seat when Lucy was in labor. I wanted good to prevail over evil.

Suite Scarlett

2011-06-30T16:32:00.000-07:00

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

Scarlett Martin lives in a hotel that her parent's operate. When she turned fifteen she was given a suite that she gets to take care of, including anyone who stays in that suite. Immediately Amy Amberson moves in. Mrs. Amberson is a character and quite demanding. Meeting and working for Mrs. Amberson changes Scarlett and her family's life forever.

I really enjoy Maureen Johnson. There is something great about her. The funny thing is that I haven't read her most popular book, which I plan on doing soon.

Trash

2011-06-24T15:23:00.000-07:00

Trash by Andy Mulligan

Raphael sorts through trash to feed his family. He goes out with his best friend, Gardo, every day to do this. Most of the time the trash he finds in very unpleasant. However, one day he finds a bag with a wallet, a note and money inside. He shows Gardo and continues with his day. That night the police show up, they want to find that bag that Raphael found. Raphael decides not to tell and finds himself in trouble with the police.

This is a story of corruption, suspense and murder. I decided to read it because a middle school boy told me that he loved it. I'm glad that I read it, it just took me forever to get through it.

This is a possible booktalk title. I can start the booktalk with "Imagine a life where you have to sort through trash every day to feed your family".

Where She Went

2011-06-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

This is the sequel to If I Stay by Forman. I listened to If I Stay and really enjoyed it so I was excited to see where Forman was taking her main character Mia after her car accident. This story focused on Adam, her boyfriend at the time and the one who pulled her through the accident. We find out very quickly he is a famous rock star and Mia broke up with him, which helped his music career. Mia and Adam reconnect after three years of not seeing each other. The love story behind this story is very powerful. I loved it!

Revolution

2011-06-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Andi Alpers is dealing with the death of her little brother Truman. She blames herself for his death and is living on antidepressants. She is a gifted musician and that's the only thing she enjoys in life. She is cutting class and in danger of failing out of school. Her father is nowhere is been seen and he gets wind of what is happening and takes her to Paris to finish the outline of her thesis. There she founds a diary that has been lost since the French Revolution. She gets wrapped in it and it changes her life and view on life forever.

I read this book because I heard from several people how good it was. I wanted to finish reading it, but I didn't love it. *spoiler alert* I thought the part where she goes back to the Revolution was a little far fetched, but I do like how the book ended.

Swim Back to Me

2011-06-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

Swim Back to Me by Ann Packer

This was the selection for my friends book club this month. I was excited about reading it because I really liked her other book, Dive from Claussen's Pier. This was a good book discussion book because we had lots to talk about. They were short stories, each one had some type of heart breaking in it, especially the second one where the mother had lost her son. I'm not sure if I would recommend it to that many people because was depressing in some parts.

Speak

2011-06-04T17:24:00.000-07:00

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Melinda Sordino is starting off her freshman year at Merryweather High knowing that no one likes her. She used to have lots of friends but at a party at the beginning of the summer she called the police and got many of the people arrested, which made her friends outcast her. She never told them why she called the police. She slowly stops talking to adults, including her parents and teachers. She has some contact with some classmates but she keeps to herself.

I liked this audiobook, but I didn't love it. I'm not sure why it connects with so many teens.

The Maze Runner

2011-05-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Thomas finds himself in a place with a bunch of other teenage boys and he knows nothing about himself. He doesn't know his last name or who his family is, nothing. He finds that he can't escape this place that the only way out is to solve a maze that keeps changing every night. A maze where creatures creep and crawl every night to kill the boys.

This book is a perfect read a like for The Hunger Games. It has the same feel, fighting for/against something. I really wanted to keep reading this book, it hooked me at the beginning. It left it off as a cliff hanger too.

Num8ers

2011-05-24T11:33:00.000-07:00

Num8ers by Rachel Ward

This British audiobook was great to listen to. Jem is a fifteen-year-old girl haunted by a special skill she has. When she looks into people's eyes she sees their death date. She doesn't like having this ability so to avoid it so isn't close to people at all. She was good at avoiding people until she met Spider. Spider turns out to be a friend. One day Spider and her are at the London eye when she sees that several of the people have the same death date and it was that date. She freaks out and runs away. When the bomb goes off the police think that they know the cause of the bomb and start searching for them. They take off.

This book is part romance, part suspense, part science fiction. I thought it was pretty good. I'm surprised more teens aren't reading it.

Warning: Spider & Jem do have sex.

Buddha Boy

2011-05-17T17:12:00.000-07:00

Buddha Boy by Kathe Koja

Jinsen is the new boy in school and he immediately becomes a target. He has a shaved head, wears oversize clothes and always smiles. Justin who tries to stay under the radar gets paired up with him at school and he does his best not to be friends with Jinsen but he immediately is drawn to him. Jinsen has a history which makes him the way he is and Justin must overcome being with the "weird" kid.

I liked this book, I read it to potentially booktalk it but I didn't in the end.

Shattering Glass

2011-05-17T17:08:00.000-07:00

Shattering Glass by Gail Giles

Young is part of the "in" crowd. He does everything the leader Rob says to do. So he didn't question why Rob wanted to make Simon Glass the most popular kid in school. However, no one knew things would turn deadly for Simon Glass.

You know that Simon Glass gets murdered at the very beginning of the book. However, you don't know why or how. As the book progresses you get glimpses of what happened on that fatal night and the events that led up to it.

I booktalked this title to a 7th grade class, but its probably best for a high school class.

There is drinking, sex and violence in this book.

Cryer's Cross

2011-05-17T17:06:00.000-07:00

Cryer’s Cross by Lisa McMann

Imagine living in a town so small that all the high schoolers are in the same classroom all day with the same teacher. Now imagine being in that town and having one of the girls disappear without a trace. That’s where this story opens. Kendall, a senior in a small Montana town, didn’t know Tiffany Quinn that well, but still thinks about how Tiffany Quinn just disappeared. Kendall is also coping with her OCD and she starts to make progress when her best friend, Nico Cruz disappears without a trace too. What is happening to this small little town? Is she next?

Why I picked it up: I’ve heard a lot of buzz about this title so I was curious about it. Also, I read Wake, which is written by the same author, and thought it was a good concept, but didn’t like the book overall, I wanted to see if this book was better.

Why I finished it: I was glued to the pages from page one. It was a gripping story and I had to know what happened to Tiffany and Nico.

I’d give it to: Anyone who enjoys suspense. Fans of Gail Giles will enjoy Cryer’s Cross.

This has potential to be a good booktalking title.

Beastly

2011-05-04T12:13:00.000-07:00

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Kyle Kingsbury has it all, money, good looks, popularity and the prettiest girl in town. However Kyle is a mean crude person. A girl in his class decides to give him one chance to be a nice person. He fails and she turns him into a beast. Kyle must find someone to kiss him and fall in love with him within two years or he will be a beast forever.

This story takes place in New York City in present day. It follows the traditional story of Beauty and the Beast with teenagers. I enjoyed this modern day fairytale.

Cloaked in Red

2011-05-04T12:10:00.000-07:00

Cloaked in Red by Vivian Vande Velde

Velde tells eight different stories of what really happened to Little Red Riding Hood. Her introduction to the book was pretty funny. The stories are super short which makes for fast reading. It was fun to see all the different stories of what could have happened.

Tom Thumb

2011-05-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

Tom Thumb: The Remarkable True Story of a Man in Miniature by George Sullivan

This book tells the story of Tom Thumb a little person who lived in the 1800s and made a living by performing. It talked about his show business career and his eventual marriage to Lavinia, another little person who made a career of being a performer.

I read this to possibly booktalk this title to a middle school class. It was a good book, but one would have to be interested in biographies to enjoy this.

Perfect Chemistry

2011-04-25T14:56:00.000-07:00

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

I've been wanting to read this book for a long time. This book opens up to Brittany's senior year in high school. She gets matched with a gang member Alex the first day of chemistry. They have an ill fated attraction to each other.

This was a real page turner. However, it has lots of sex, violence and drug use. This is for a mature high schooler. The chapters alternate between Brittany and Alex. The ending was tied up a little too nicely, but I didn't expect anything else because its was a too romance novel.

Lock and Key

2011-04-21T16:17:00.000-07:00

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Oh how I love Sarah Dessen. I don't know what it is about her characters but I get sucked it pretty quickly. Ruby has a deadbeat mother and is trying to survive on her own when she is reported to social services. She is sent to live with her sister and brother in law who she doesn't really know. She learns a lot about her, trusting others and her relationship with her family. Its Sarah Dessen, what more is there to say?

No sex. One drug scene. Pretty mild stuff.

Wishful Thinking

2011-04-21T16:03:00.000-07:00

Wishful Thinking by Alexandra Bullen

Hazel never had a real family. She was adopted when she was born and her adoptive mother died in a fire when she was very small. On her 18th birthday her "stepfather" gives Hazel her birth certificate. She finds out her mother's name. She does some quick google searching and finds out about a dinner her mother is sponsoring. She decides to attend. She finds a goodwill dress and takes it to be hemmed. She was goes to put on her dress she realizes that the seamstress gives her the wrong dress. She quickly puts it on and goes. There she discovers her mother recently passed away and on the way home she makes a wish. Her wish is that get to know her mother and she is transported to the summer before she is born. There is meets her mother and gets to three more wishes.

This is a light fantasy book. I liked that part of it takes place in San Francisco. I was disappointed to find out that the author doesn't live in San Francisco but on the east coast. I liked it and got through it pretty quickly.

The Running Dream

2011-04-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen

Jessica is a runner. She even remembers the exact moment she discovered how much she enjoys running. One day, however, all of this comes to an end, when she is in a car accident and loses her leg.

Why I picked it up: I was browsing the shelves for a new book when the title caught my eye. I’m a runner and I enjoy reading about characters that enjoy the same activities that I do. Plus, I have read other titles by Van Draanen and I enjoy her stories.

Why I finished it: You get sucked into Jessica’s story. I really felt sorry for her and wanted to know that she would be okay.

I’d give it to: Anyone who loves running. It will change your mind when you are in the middle of a race or a long run and you need some motivation to keep going.

The Very Little Princess

2011-04-15T15:29:00.000-07:00

The Very Little Princess by Marion Dane Bauer Zoey goes to the home of Hazel, her grandma that she never meet. When she finds a pretty doll in the dollhouse she starts to cry and her tears wake up Princess Regina. Princess Regina has been in the family for 4 generations and she rules over both Zoey's mom and grandma. This is book is meant for the readers just starting on chapter books, maybe 2nd grade. There are some drawings, which are cute. I liked it and think some parents might want to read the book aloud for their daugthers.

Olivia Kidney

2011-04-12T17:43:00.000-07:00

Olivia Kidney by Ellen Potter Olivia Kidney lives in apartment with her father in New York City. They are always moving and changing schools because her father, who is the maintenance guy is very bad at his job and is always getting fired. She always tries to stay out of the way and doesn't make very new friends. One afternoon when she was locked out of her apartment she meets some very interesting characters. This leads to adventures where she meets a psychic, talking lizards, an ex-pirate, a princess, a ghost and more. She also discovers a little bit about herself. I thought it was a cute book. It was very unbelievable, but I think that's what kids might like about it.

The Forgotten Garden

2011-04-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton This book is part mystery and part historical fiction. The chapters alternate between the early 20th century following Eliza, the 1970's following Nell, and present day following Cassandra. Nell finds out when she is 21 years old that her parents aren't her parents. That her parents found her on the loading dock and kept her. Nell goes out to search her real parents, only to have her search stop when she takes care of Cassandra. When Nell dies in 2005 Cassandra takes the mystery on. Eliza is the author of a fairytale book who we believe is the one who kidnapped Nell. You don't discover what really happens until the end. I really enjoyed this book for my bookclub. I liked how the history blends with current times. I liked the mystery. My only complaint is that I got a little confused about characters if I didn't play good attention I would lose track on what I was reading. Also, it was a bit long. Always a thumbs up.

Moon Over Manifest

2011-03-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

This book took me over three weeks to finish. It wasn't because I didn't like it, I just haven't had time to read. I think I read this book wrong, in parts which made a little confusing to remember who is who.

Abilene Tucker's father sends her to Manifest for the summer, telling her that he will pick after the summer is over. Abilene knows there is something he isn't telling her and she isn't sure why he is sending her there. However, she goes and quickly becomes friends with two girls in the town. They spend their summers trying to find a spy from letters that Abilene found in the floor. Abilene begins to unravel the town's history and her fathers.

It was a good book, but I don't see how it would appeal to kids. They would have like historical fiction with a twist of a mystery.

Half Broke Horses

2011-03-17T21:22:00.000-07:00

Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls

This book follows the life of Walls' grandma. She was a real rancher and you gain a little bit more insight on Walls' mother and why she is such a free spirit.

I don't remember too many details because I finished it several weeks ago. I did enjoy it. It wasn't quite as good as The Glass Castle, but it was good.

The Glass Castle

2011-02-14T22:18:00.000-08:00

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

If I had a dollar for every person who told me that I *had* to read this book I would be a rich girl. Everyone raves about this book, saying it was their ultimate favorite book.

This was a memoir, which I usually don't enjoy, but I enjoyed this one. Walls describes her life growing up. Her parents were dysfunctional and that is putting it lightly. Even though her mother was capable of working (she had her teaching degree) she decided that she wanted to work on her art leaving the children with nothing to eat, a house with no indoor plumbing, no electricity. Walls' father was the town drunk, spending any money they did manage to get. Its a miracle the kids ever survived. The interesting part is that most of the kids were super smart. She doesn't talk about her youngest sister later on in life, but her other siblings become well adjusted in their lives, which is just a miracle. It makes you feel good about your parenting abilities. I'm glad I read it and now know what all the fuss is about.

Freedom

2011-02-14T22:15:00.000-08:00

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

This book was rated by many different people as the best book of 2010. I would have to disagree. This was the book for my book club to read this month. I trudge through it, only not to finish and giving up about 200 pages in.

The book follows a married couple. I didn't care for the writing style at all. It will be interesting to see what other people liked about the book.

The Last Time I was Me

2011-01-24T21:06:00.000-08:00

The Last Time I was Me by Cathy Lamb

Jeanne is a very successful business woman. She works her butt off and one day realizes that her life means nothing. She goes home, packs up her bags and leaves. She tells her friends to sell her house and items and she heads towards the pacific ocean. On her way she stops in a small town and eats pancakes. She decides to stay. This is the beginning of her new life.

She has a nervous breakdown for several reasons. Her ex-boyfriend was one of the factors because when she finds out that he is cheating she decides to get revenge. This makes her fighting an assault charge and now her ex, which she calls "slick dick", is suing her for large amount of money.

Her attorney suggests she take anger management classes to help with case. Here she meets a colorful array of people, including the teacher, Emmaline (which I love that the character's name is Emmaline). One of the things Emmaline suggests is that they do something she are scared to do. She decides to run naked. While running along the river one night naked, she runs into a man and falls in love. It turns out that he is her new boss, a man trying to become elected as governor of Oregon.

Even thought Jeanne is having a nervous breakdown she is one tough chick. She doesn't take anything from anyone. There are so many funny, colorful, off beat characters in this book that I really enjoyed it. My only complaint was that the author wrapped up the end a little too nicely but I was happy how everything turned out. Jeanne is someone I would want to be friends with.

The Twin's Daughter

2011-01-23T19:58:00.000-08:00

The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

I finished that several weeks ago, but I wanted to write a good review for it, but I never found the time. Now I don't really remember the details of the books. Oh well.

This is a historical fiction young adult book. I believe why I wanted to read it was because there were twins involved and everyone knows about my slight obsession with twins.

This book was told in the view point of a young girl. One day she opens the door to find a woman who looks just like her mother but dressed very poorly. She finds out that this is her mother's twin sister that no one knew about. Her mother was adopted, which she found out for the first time. Lucy family is pretty wealthy so they take in her aunt. Soon she realizes that she can't tell her mother and aunt apart. This haunts Lucy because surely her own daughter should know her mother.

Soon there is a brutal murder and Lucy stumbles upon her aunt and mother. One of the them are dead and the other is alive, but which is which? She believes the one who survives is her mother simply because she asks for her wedding ring back, which fell during the murder. However, is it really her mother?

There is also a love story between Lucy and her next door neighbor.

I really liked this book and think I could booktalk it. Its not a book a normal teenage would pick up but if they gave it a chance I think they would like it.

This book has one of the best first lines ever:
"I was thirteen the year everything changed with a single knock at the door."

A Total Waste of Makeup

2011-01-06T22:02:00.000-08:00

A Total Waste of Makeup by Kim Gruenefelder

"Charlie" is about to turn thirty and her younger sister is getting married. She is going through a rough spot because she doesn't have a boyfriend. Even though she owns a house and has a great job, she doesn't feel complete without a boyfriend.

It took me awhile to get through the book. The first 50 pages were very slow but it started to picked up. I really liked the characters at the end. I really thought she would end up with her boss. There is a sequel that I might read if I get a chance.

The Unnamed

2010-12-27T21:34:00.000-08:00

The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris

Tim Fransworth has a disease that can't be explained or that no one else has ever had. He gets an urge to walk and he can't do anything else but walk. When his body decides to stop his body just shuts down and he falls asleep where ever he might be. This puts his career and family in an awkward position. This becomes part of his struggle with this unknown disease and the love between Tim and his wife.

It was interesting enough to keep me reading but not even close to being my favorite book this year. However, I'm glad I gave this author another chance because I didn't like the last book I read by him.

I had one thought when I read this book most books the husband struggles with something and the wife makes the scarifies for the husband. I can't think of another book where it was the other way around.

Blue Christmas

2010-12-27T21:19:00.000-08:00

Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews

A short book that takes place during the Christmas season. (The week before Christmas). Weezie owns an antique store in Savannah, Georgia and really wants wins the window decorating contest they do in her town.

This was a cute fun book to help me be in the mood for Christmas.

The Daughters

2010-12-16T09:05:00.000-08:00

The Daughters by Joanna Philbin

I read this book because the author is the daughter of Regis Philbin. I wanted to see if it was any good. It was a pretty fast read. About three girls who were daughters of famous people. The main character Lizzie, is an awkward teen who is living in the shadow of her super beautiful model mother. She makes a negative comment about her mother's clothing to a reporter and it goes on the Internet. She is discovered by photographers and Lizzy tries modeling. I thought it was cute and fans of gossip girl will like this book. The author left the ending open for a sequel.

Pillars of the Earth

2010-12-16T09:01:00.000-08:00

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

This book was over 900 pages so I can't describe the whole plot because it would take forever. Essentially the book was the building of a cathedral in the 1400s. It followed several characters who were involved with the building and who were opposed of the building of it. There was lots of political issues involved with building it. There was also lots of violence in that time period which was hard to read. I thought the book was good, but not great. Not worth reading the second one, which is another 900 pages or so.

Youth in Revolt

2010-11-23T14:34:00.000-08:00

Youth in Revolt by C.D. Payne

This book is written in diary form. The narrator is Nick, a teenage boy who is a virgin. He meets Sheeni and decides to rebel because she asks him to. Nick gets himself into a lot of trouble. He changes into a different boy for Sheeni. This is a coming of age novel.

I think this would have been a young adult book if published now. I thought it was okay but too long. I liked how it took place in northern California. Someone in my book group commented that they didn't mind reading it, but they didn't look forward to reading it, and that was a good way to describe it. The ending of the book and the ending of movie are different. It was hard to watch the movie because they changed so many little details. I'm glad I read it but I probably wouldn't recommend it to a friend. Maybe a high school boy looking for a longer book about high school. There were some funny part, not laugh out loud funny, but amusing.

Who Loves You Best

2010-11-23T14:17:00.000-08:00

Who Loves You Best by Tess Stimson

I heard about this book from one of my friends in my book club. It sounded interesting but it wasn't that great of a book.

Clare is a very successful business owner. She has a younger husband who she loves very much. She decides to tackle motherhood. When she becomes pregnant with twins she believes she can do it without help of a nanny. When the twins come, she is quickly overwhelmed. She decides to hire a nanny. At the same time her husband gets into financial trouble and starts to steal from Clare's business. Quickly things in Clare's life turns bad, very bad.

The thing I hated about the book was how the chapters would switch from different characters and the characters would re-hash the events that I already. It was like the author didn't think the reader was smart enough to figure out how the different characters feel, she had to spell it out for us. Plus the ending had too much drama. This isn't a book I'm going to pass on to my friends.

Last Night in Montreal

2010-11-13T20:57:00.000-08:00

Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel

I'm not quite sure why I requested this book but I'm pretty sure I found it on the Brews and Books blog. I decided to get it a try, since I knew nothing about it. I did a little bit of research and Nancy Pearl recommended it as well.

Both blogs said the same thing about this book, that it was excellent writing, and I agree with them. I was drawn to the book at the very beginning. You meet Lilia, a woman who doesn't stay in one place for too long. She is dating Eli and she walks away from Eli. Eli is devastated and wants to go looking for her. You start to learn about Lilia's past and why she is a floater. She was kidnapped at a young age by her father. In order to stay ahead of the police, they travel all through her childhood never staying longer than a few weeks.

The third and fourth characters in this book are the detective trying to find Lilia and his daughter who he neglects. The detective becomes obsessed with trying to find Lilia.

I really enjoyed this book and I'm glad I gave it a chance.

Heist Society

2010-11-01T18:24:00.000-07:00

Heist Society by Ally Carter

The book opens with the character of Kat. Kat is in trouble at her boarding school because a prank was pulled on the headmasters car and they are blaming her. She gets kicked out of boarding school after only being there for three or so months. Kat is unique because she comes from a family of thieves. They steal art and they are good. However she finds out that her father is blamed for stealing 5 pieces out of a mobster's collection and he wants them back. Her father claims that he is innocent so Kat feels that she has to do find the paintings that were stolen and steal them back.

I love Ally Carter's books because she creates fun plots with very strong female characters. If you like this book you would like E. Lockhart books too. There isn't anything bad in this book in terms of swearing or sex. The only bad is the stealing part, but that's just plain fun.

Extraordinary

2010-10-21T13:13:00.000-07:00

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin

I just realized that I've read two books in a row with the word "extraordinary" in the title. That's a little strange.

Extraordinary is a young adult novel. I've wanted to read Werlin's work for awhile now because Rachel from work recommended her to me. I wanted to read Impossible, but never got around to it. So when Extraordinary came out I decided to give it a try. It says that Extraordinary is a follow up to Impossible which I didn't realize. I decided to read the book anyways to see if I would understand what is going on. I don't think I needed to read Impossible to appreciate this novel.

In the 7th grade Phoebe makes the decision to leave the popular crowd to become friends with Mallory. Mallory is the new strange girl that everyone is making fun of. Phoebe feels sorry for her and decides to take her under her wing. The two become best of friends, as close as sisters. The book fast forwards to several years later, when they are in high school. It turns out that Mallory is using Phoebe for something but as the reader we aren't quite sure. We know that Mallory was sent on a mission that includes Phoebe and that's it. It turns out that Mallory is a fairy and her kind is dying. They must sacrifice Phoebe in order to stay alive. Mallory doesn't do the job so they send Mallory's brother, Ryland to finish the task. Can Phoebe prove that she is extraordinary? What does it mean to be extraordinary? These are questions that Werlin proposes in her book.

There is a mix of fantasy with friendship in this book. I think that a teen who likes to read about fairies would like this book. There isn't romance in the book, so it won't appeal to every fantasy "Twilight" or "Hunger Games" teen out there.

Werlin used a true family, the Rothschilds, for the base of her book. She gives some suggestions that if anyone wants to read about the Rothschild family. Founder: A Portrait of the First Rothschild and His Times by Amos Elon, The House of Rothschild by Ferguson and Charlotte and Lionel by Weintraub, which sounds the most interesting. I don't know what teen would actually follow up with reading a nonfiction book, but I liked that Werlin added this information.

There isn't anything particularly bad in this book. There is a mention of sex, but nothing is ever done or described.

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June

2010-10-20T08:59:00.001-07:00

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June by Robin Benway

I picked up this book because I heard a lot about Benway's other book Audrey, Wait, which I haven't read yet. This book is Benway's newest book so I thought I would give this title a try before I read Audrey, Wait! I thought the premise was great, three sisters all with a different talent or gift. April can see the future, May can make herself invisible and June can read minds. Once they discover their gifts, April sees something terrible happen to her sister June. She tries her best to stop that from happening, but can one person really stop fate?

For some reason this book took me forever to finish and I don't know why. It wasn't a horrible book, I just didn't look forward to reading it. The teenagers were very whiny and very real and I don't think I was in the mood for teenage drama.

Note: There is underage drinking and some talk about sex.

Thanks for the Memories

2010-10-08T10:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the Memories by Cecelia Ahern

This is the third Ahern book I've read and I do enjoy her. She tells a good story. The last time I read her was right after Olivia was born, which is funny, because Luke was just born!

At first I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this story because the main character, Joyce, just recently lost a baby. However, that wasn't the main focus of the story, it was just the event that propelled the story forward. After Joyce lost her baby she had a blood transfusion. When she woke up in the hospital she just felt different but she wasn't sure why.

At the same time you are reading about Justin. Justin hates needles but in order to impress a girl doctor, he gives blood. When Joyce received Justin's blood she received his tastes, skills and memories. The two of them feel a connection to each other even though they don't know one another.

I love stories with great characters and Ahern delivers on that. The characters are believable, like able and interesting to read about. I would read her again, I'm thinking the Christmas story around Christmas time.

Await Your Reply

2010-10-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon

When I read the review for this book in Entertainment Weekly months ago I wanted to read this book. (It got raving reviews). I requested it from the library and had to return it without reading it. I heard about it again from Entertainment Weekly when they said it was one of the best books of 2009. Recently I was reading a blog about books and the author of the blog recommended this book, so I decided that I need to just read the book.

Chaon is a great writer. The words just came off the page when you read them, which to me is a sign of a good writer. The story is told in three different perspectives, it seems like they are three separate stories. However, I knew they would come together in the end.

You follow Miles, who is a identical twin, searching for his second half. Miles' twin Hayden has mental disorder and Miles has been chasing years with no luck.

The next person is Ryan. Ryan was a sophomore in college when he gets a call that his loser Uncle is really his dad. He decides to leave college and go live with his dad. After searching the police declare Ryan dead and Ryan gets involved with some illegal activity with his new dad.

The third person is Lucy. Oh how I feel bad for Lucy. Lucy is an orphan, she lost her parents to a car accident a year prior. She is smart and unpopular at school. She starts a relationship with her AP history teacher. She is blown away with how smart he is and decides to take off with him.

I enjoyed the book, wanting to know how these three stories are interconnected. *spoiler alert* My only problem was the ending. I was a little disappointed to find out that the stories weren't happening at the same time, they truly were three different stories happening and not all at once. I'm glad I finally read the book because now I can see if I like other books Entertainment Weekly recommends.

Mini Shopaholic

2010-09-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Becky is back and Minnie, her daughter, is 2 years old. Minnie seems a little out of control, wanting everything and Becky just giving in. Even though Minnie is in the story, the story is more about Becky organizing a surprise birthday party for her husband Luke.

I loved the first couple of books in this series but now I'm not sure I will continue to read them. Becky never learns from her mistakes and she lies to everyone to cover up her faults. Her friends and family just seem to put it up with it and that drives me nuts. She doesn't grow or develop as a character and everything just turns out okay. Very frustrating.

The LIttle Giant of Aberdeen County

2010-09-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker

This book has been on my reading list since it came out. I finally got a chance to read it. It wasn't what I expected, but I did like it.

Truly is the youngest of two girls. Her sister Serena Jane, is small, precious and very beautiful. When Truly's mom was pregnant with her everyone thought she was having a boy because she was so big. When Truly came out as a girl it was a shock and her mother died in child birth. Truly was so big but she never really want to the doctor's because her father was against it. When her father died she was separated from her sister. Her sister went to live with a well done family in town and Truly went to live on a farm with a very poor family. The little girl who lived on the farm because like a sister to Truly.

Serena Jane ends up getting pregnant at a very young age and marries the man, the son of the town doctor. When she finally comes back 8 years later only to leave her family. Truly steps up and moves in the doctor's house and takes care of the little boy. She doesn't like the doctor and later on in life becomes resentful towards him.

Along with this storyline you hear about Tabitha, the great grandmother of the doctor. Tabitha was supposedly a witch doctor and each son in the family tried to find her book of "spells". When Truly moves in she finds the book by accident. She begins to study the messages that Tabitha left.

A very slow, quiet story which was nice. However it has many layers to this story that I enjoyed. I'm glad that I took the time to read this book.

Theodore Boone: Kd Lawyer

2010-09-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by: John Grisham

This is John Grisham's first attempt at a children's book. I decided to listen to it rather than read it. Theodore Boone is a son of two lawyers in a small town. He loves the law, the courthouse and some day wants to be a lawyer himself. The biggest trial is happening in town, a husband is accused of murdering his wife. Theodore Boone doesn't want to miss it. However, he gets caught in the middle of it and doesn't know where to turn to.

Grisham left the door open for additional books. Even though the book was sort of resolved, it he left it open for more. I thought it was okay, not great. There were parts of it that just seemed to easy like it wouldn't really happen in real life.

Swimming

2010-09-23T06:48:00.000-07:00

Swimming by Nicola Keegan

I read this book for my book group with my friends. The main character, Philomena, was meant to swim her whole life. When she was just an infant and they put her in the water so began to swim immediately. Despite of her bad family life, an older sister who dies and her father who dies, she goes on to be an Olympic swimmer, winning eight medals.

I really didn't care for the writing of the book at all. The first 100 pages or so were a struggle to get through. The middle got better but I didn't really care for the end either. I give this book 2.5 out of 5 stars.

The Outsiders

2010-09-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

I don't think I was in the mood to read this type of book when I first picked it up but its been on my list to read for a long time now. By the middle of the book I really enjoyed it. Its interesting because this book paved the way for all the new young adult literature which made the story feel unoriginal but you have to think that this is very first of its kind. I wouldn't say its the best young adult book ever, but certainly one that all young adult librarians should read.

The Wedding Girl

2010-09-10T13:50:00.000-07:00

The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham

This book has been on my list to read for a long time because its by my favorite chick lit author, Sophie Kinsella!

At the age of 18 Milly decides to help out some gay friends and marries Allan so he can stay in the country. After a week of fun with Allan and Ruppert she goes back home and forgets all about the marriage.

The next chapters opens up to ten years later. Milly is now days away from marrying Simon, the son of a wealthy business owner. Milly thinks her secret is safe until the camera man shows up to take some pre-wedding pictures. Alexander recognizes her from her first wedding day and threatens to expose her. Milly in a panic starts to worry that her secret will be leaked.

On the surface it seems that the book is about Milly and her secret. After all the first seventy or so pages that's what the book talks about. However, you start to dive into the other characters in the story, Isobel, her sister, Ruppert, Allan's old lover, Simon and his relationship with his rich father. All in all I would say a pretty good chick lit book. I'm glad I read it.

Forever

2010-09-10T13:30:00.000-07:00

Forever by Judy Blume

Forever is a young adult classic. This book has made several banned books lists over the years. This is a young adult book I've been meaning to read forever, but never got the chance. When I read a recent article about it on NPR, I decided to give it a try.

Kath and Michael meet at a party. The next day they make another connection and immediately start dating. Kath slowly feels herself falling in love with Michael and Michael is slowly pressuring Kath to have sex. She finally gives in, and this is why its on the banned book list. However, with all the other books I've read with sex in them, this one is pretty mild.

I'm glad I read it because it is a classic. It is a typical high school relationship book, which isn't a bad thing. Its one book that will remain timeless.

The White Giraffe

2010-09-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John

This book opens with Martine losing both of her parents in a fire in their house. She is shocked when she finds out that she is go live with her grandmother in South Africa on a wildlife game reserve. She didn't know that she had a grandmother and when she finds the letter her grandmother wrote about Martine she doesn't feel welcomed at all. However, she goes because she has no other place to live.

Martine loves South Africa, but she has a hard time warming up to her grandma. She hears about a mythical creature that is suppose to live on the reserve, a white giraffe. One night she looks out her window and see the white giraffe. She befriends the white giraffe and vows to save him from the poachers.

I liked the story, a little bit of adventure and magic. However, it was hard to listen to parts where men were trying to steal the animals. It was very hard to listen when she describes the animals being shipped on a boat to the Middle East. I liked the narrators voice and I'm glad I stuck with the audio book. I think upper elementary school children would enjoy this tale. The first in a series.

Shift by Jennifer Bradbury

2010-09-07T15:03:00.000-07:00

Shift by Jennifer Bradbury

Christopher and his best friend, Win, decide to take a bike trip across the country the summer after they graduate high school. They are on the open road for several weeks when Win disappears. Christopher is angry and confused but goes home to start his freshman year in college. He is at college for a couple of weeks when he discovers that Win’s parents are so desperate to find him that they send a FBI agent to question Christopher. Christopher decides its time to find out what happened to Win or his family will pay the consequences for Win’s disappearance.

Why I picked it up: When it first came out I read several good reviews about it. One day I found myself without a book and decided to browse the shelves. I was in a mood for a quick pace, good mystery and that is what I found.

Why I finished it: The book started off good, right away I wanted to know what happened on the cross-country bike trip and Win. The chapters switch from past to present, which kept me hooked.

I’d give it to: Anyone who enjoys a fast paced mystery book, with a little bit of adventure.

I would have to say that the ending was wrapped up a little too neatly for my taste. Other than that it was a good read.

The Mysterious Benedict Society

2010-09-03T11:56:00.000-07:00

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

There is an advertisement for gifted children to come and take a test for a special program. When they arrive they find the test very difficult and very strange, but 4 of them successful pass the test. The four children all have one thing in common, they are all orphans. They meet Mr. Benedict and he says he has a special mission for them that is very dangerous. They must go into a special school for gifted children and find out who and why someone is sending messages through media.

I only got halfway through this book. I've been torn about if I should try and finish it, but its very slow reading and I didn't really care for it. Its confusing and not enough is happening for me.

Savvy

2010-09-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

Savvy by Ingrid Law

This book received the Newbery Honor. I thought the writing was good, I loved the metaphors and the story was interesting, it kept me going.

Mibs is about to turn 13. In her family when you turn 13 you get your savvy. You don't know what the savvy will be, but it will be some magical power that you will have to learn to control. Right before Mibs' 13th birthday her father gets into a terrible car accident and is in a coma at the hospital. When Mibs wakes up on her birthday she thinks her savvy is to wake things and she must get to her father so she can wake him up. She decides to sneak on a bus of a bible salesman that is going to the town her father is. Of course her savvy isn't waking people up, and things go from bad to worst.

This is Where I Leave You

2010-08-31T10:19:00.001-07:00

This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

I finished this book weeks ago, I don't know how I missed posting my thoughts about it...

Judd Foxman comes home on his wife's birthday to surprise her with her favorite cake when he finds her in bed with his boss. It turns out that they love each other and Judd finds himself without a wife, house and job. When Judd's father dies he has to go back home and sit Shiva, which is a Jewish tradition. He is sitting Shiva with his very dysfunctional family and it brings nothing but laughter.

I laughed so hard at many parts of this book. I thought it was a very easy read. The second half wasn't quite as funny as the first half, but it was still good. I liked that Judd did develop a little in the story, he wasn't just a cracking wise guy. Very enjoyable.