It's Monday 5/20! What Are You Reading?

Ahhh...the quiet solitude of a Monday morning after a busy weekend. But this is the end of the peace and tranquility for me for a while! My oldest son comes home from college this week, my youngest son has two weeks of school left, then finals, and then another knee surgery. So, I am trying to make the most of this last bit of quiet, productive time!

Good reading this week:

• I finished The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson and was blown away by this recent Pulitzer Prize winner! The story completely pulled me in, and I never wanted it to end. I'll try to review it this week (before things get hectic!).
• I am now reading American Pastoral by Philip Roth for my neighborhood book group, but I waited too long to start it because I was so engrossed in the Orphan Master's Son! There is no way I can finish it before Wednesday - it is over 400 pages of very dense prose - but I am giving it my best try. It's a strange story with a strange format, but I am enjoying it so far.
• I am also still reading (a bit at a time) The Art of Nonconformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World by Chris Guillebeau, which was recommended by a friend of mine.
• I finished listening to an amazing middle-grade audio book, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. Its Newberry Medal was well-deserved. I posted a review last week.
• And I started a new audio book, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne. I know, I am way behind on this one! I can see why it got such great reviews when it first came out.
• My husband, Ken, is still reading A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin, book 3 in his A Song of Ice and Fire series. At over 1200 pages, this novel definitely meets the criteria of a Big Book. It's almost time for my annual Big Book Summer Challenge! Look for details this weekend.
• Jamie, 18, is still reading The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan, though I suspect he had little reading time this week, in the midst of final exams.

Not only did I not have time to post much on my blogs this week, but I just realized this weekend that I never even posted my Monday update to my Great Books for Kids and Teens blog - oops!

I did write two reviews:

A Short Guide to a Happy Life and Being Perfect, two slim nonfiction books by Anna Quindlen, perfect for graduation season.

The One and Only Ivan, an award-winning middle-grade novel by Katherine Applegate that I listened to on audio.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, with a kid/teen version hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.)    

Middle-Grade Review: The One and Only Ivan

Katherine Applegate won a Newberry Medal for her middle-grade novel The One and Only Ivan, and the award was well deserved. I just listened to it on audio and was completely taken in by this unique story narrated by a gorilla.

 

Yes, Ivan is a gorilla, and he tells his story. When I first realized this at the start of the audio, I worried it would be kind of gimmicky and silly, but nothing could be further from the truth. Ivan lives at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, in a small glass enclosure. Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog, are friends of Ivan’s who also live at the Mall. Stella performs in daily shows, and Ivan is known for his drawings that sell in the gift shop for $30 each ($40 framed).

The animals have some human friends, too, including George, who cleans up around the mall, and his kind daughter, Julia. Things change for all the residents of the Big Top Mall when Mac, the owner, brings in a new baby elephant, in an effort to lift sagging profits. Little Ruby misses her family but is welcomed by Stella, Ivan, and Bob. After Ruby arrives, though, Ivan begins to realize that things need to change – and hopefully, for the better – so he comes up with a crazy plan that just might work.

Far from being silly, these animals who can talk among themselves stir deep emotions – joy and sorrow, horror and happiness. The book is recommended for ages 8 and up, but parents should consider whether their child is emotionally mature enough for the serious issues it raises including wild animals being taken into captivity (and worse) and mistreatment of animals. I won’t give away specific plot points, but one character does die in the book, and there is one passage of poachers killing and capturing gorillas. Parents may want to read the book aloud to younger kids, so they can talk about what’s happening. I think it depends on the child. I have an 11-year old niece who cried inconsolably every single time she watched Spirit (which has some tense moments but a happy ending) – I wouldn’t recommend this book to her!

For most kids, though – and grown-ups, too – there is a big pay-off for getting through the sad stuff, and the story does have a happy ending. Think in terms of Charlotte’s Web or Babe, both in terms of tone and quality. This is a book with plenty of heart plus a sense of humor. Interestingly, Applegate was inspired to write this novel based on a true story of a gorilla known as Ivan, the Shopping Mall Gorilla. She has crafted a moving story of friendship and determination, with unusual emotional depth for a middle-grade novel. Definitely a winner.

HarperAudio

P.S. I loved listening to the audio - the narrator does Ivan's voice perfectly - and it would be perfect for a family road trip. The book also has some advantages, though, including a few illustrations and short chapters perfect for middle-grade readers.

Listen to an audio sample here.

Visit Katherine Applegate's website, including more information on the real Ivan.

 

Middle-Grade Review: The Game of Sunken Places

The Game of Sunken Places by M.T. Anderson has been sitting on my to-be-read shelf for a long time, ever since my teen son read it a few years ago. I’ve heard good things about Anderson’s books, but this was the first one I ever read. It’s a mystery/fantasy story for middle-grade readers that is sort of like a cross between The Hardy Boys and Jumanji.

Thirteen-year old Gregory’s eccentric adopted uncle invites him and a friend to spend their school holiday at his house in Vermont. When Gregory and his best friend, Brian, arrive at the old mansion in the woods, they find that Uncle Max is even stranger than they’d thought. He and his home seem to exist in a different century, and Uncle Max insists that the boys dress in tweed knickers and stiff-collared shirts while they are visiting. Meals are quiet, formal affairs attended by servants at a big dining room table with Uncle Max and Gregory’s cousin, Prudence.

The boys poke around the deserted nursery and decide to ease their boredom with an old board game they find, The Game of Sunken Places. This game, though, is like none they’ve ever played before, and as they explore the area around the mansion, more and more spaces on the board become visible. This strange game takes them far beyond the game board and nursery, as they explore the woods around the house and discover things they never dreamed existed in real life – trolls, spirits, and other fearsome creatures – all locked in an age-old battle that now includes the two friends.

The tone of this novel, especially at the beginning, reminded me very much of old Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries – two old friends discovering a mystery. It’s an us-against-the-world feeling, with plenty of good-natured joking between the boys (Gregory is especially prone to wise cracks). Then, the action turns more toward fantasy, as the mysteries surrounding Uncle Max and the old house turn out to involve all sorts of otherworldly beings, unseen worlds, and ancient conflicts.

I’m not a huge fan of fantasy normally (my son is), but I enjoyed this fast-paced and thoroughly unique story. It is filled with action, suspense, a good dose of humor to lighten the mood, and surprises around every corner. Kids who enjoy fantasy stories about strange creatures and other worlds will love this novel.

260 pages, Scholastic

(M.T. Anderson wrote another 3 books in this series, titled The Norumbegan Quartet)

 

Ender's Game Movie Trailer

The trailer for the movie adaptation of Orson Scott Card's highly acclaimed novel, Ender's Game, was recently released. I first read Ender's Game about 25 years ago, based on the recommendation of my husband (then boyfriend!), and I loved it and went on to read the entire series. My oldest son, now 18, read it a few years ago, and he loved it, too. So, we are all very excited that they have finally made a movie out of this fabulous book!

Here's the trailer:



I didn't realize that Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley were starring in it - looks like it should be good! Its release date is 11/1/13 - can't wait!

It's Monday 5/6! What Are You Reading?

Ah, lovely weather here last week, but a rough week in our house. My son had a killer sinus infection that triggered a nasty flare-up of his chronic immune disorder, so he was home from school all week and totally wiped out...and that means I got very little done! He's 15, so I know he doesn't need constant supervision (and I did make runs to the grocery store and drugstore), but he does like company when he feels that bad.  Also, his appetite doesn't suffer when he's sick, so I spent a LOT of time cooking, doing dishes, and going out for take-out requests!

Anyway, he is feeling better now and back at school, and we had a very nice weekend. No matter what our week is like, we always enjoy our books:

• I finished The Game of Sunken Places, a middle-grade novel by M.T. Anderson (and the first I've read of this award-winning author). It was a cross between a mystery and a fantasy, fast-paced and unique.
• I am now reading The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson, which recently won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (and many other accolades and awards). I requested it at the library as soon as I heard about the Pulitzer because I've been wanting to read it ever since the two hosts on my favorite podcast, Books on the Nightstand, raved about it. It is set in North Korea and is excellent so far and completely engrossing.
• I am also making my way through a nonfiction book, The Art of Nonconformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World by Chris Guillebeau. A good friend of mine from high school recently recommended this book, so I requested it at the library, too (I need to get back to my TBR shelf). I decided I couldn't read a book about setting goals and changing the world before bed or I'd never get any sleep! So, I'm reading the novel at bedtime and squeezing in bits of the nonfiction during the day.
• My husband, Ken, is still reading A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin, book 3 in his A Song of Ice and Fire series. This hefty book is a long-term project. He was laughing that he'd read 200 pages and his bookmark still looked like it was at the beginning of the book!
• Neither of our sons has had time (or energy) for reading. At 18 and 15, they are busy with school work at this time of year.

I did manage to write some reviews and blog posts last week:

 A review of The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom, a historical novel about a young girl who is an indentured servant in 1790's Virginia.

A review of Turnabout by Margaret Peterson Haddix, a fascinating teen/YA novel about a secret project that "unages" a group of elderly people.

I also posted my April Reading Summary.

And a Weekend Cooking post about clay pot cooking and crockpot cooking.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, with a kid/teen version hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.)    
 

My sons and I at my book signing this weekend - two of my essays were published in a Chicken Soup anthology.

Books Read in April

With April, spring finally arrived here, much to our collective relief! The weather was lovely, and I was able to do more reading outside on the deck. Although I started the month with a novel I didn't finish, the rest of my reading month went well, as I read and enjoyed some excellent books:

• The Yokota Officer's Club by Sarah Bird, a fun, thoughtful novel (Japan)
• The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom, a fascinating historical novel (Virginia)
• Turnabout by Margaret Peterson Haddix, a teen/YA sci fi novel (Kentucky)

• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, a compelling, suspenseful novel (Missouri)
• A Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna Quindlen, a brief nonfiction book
• Being Perfect by Anna Quindlen, another brief book with advice from the esteemed writer

 

So, in all, I read 6 books last month (plus 130 pages of We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver), though the last two were very short! Almost all of the books I read in April were fiction, except for the two Quindlen books, and most of them were adult books - just 1 YA book this time. My favorites were The Yokota Officer's Club and The Kitchen House, both read for my book groups, showing once again that participating in book groups can introduce you to some wonderful books you'd never have read on your own!

2013 Reading Challenges Update:

I added 4 new states and 1 new country to my 2013 Where Are You Reading Challenge, bringing my 4-month total up to 16 U.S states and 4 other countries. I didn't add a single book this month to my 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge - almost all of the books I read came from the library! I actually listened to the first half of The Kitchen House on audio, so I'm counting that toward my 2013 Audio Book Challenge.

What was your favorite book read in April?

Teen/YA Review: Turnabout

I have read and enjoyed several middle-grade novels by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Turnabout, one of her teen/YA novel s that was recently re-released, is aimed at teens but will appeal to older readers since its plot is all about aging. I found it fascinating and engrossing

In 2000, Amelia is 100 years old, living in a nursing home and waiting to die, when a couple of doctors ask her to sign a release form to join a unique scientific study. Soon, she has been moved to a new facility with 50 other elderly patients who are now all a part of Project Turnabout. The two doctors in charge have administered a drug to all of them that is “unaging” them; they are all becoming younger each day. At first, they are all thrilled; each day, they are regaining lost skills – hearing, walking, memory – but there are some catches. The biggest one is that the doctors assumed they could stop the process at any time, but it turns out they can’t.

After a few years, Amelia and her new friend, Anny Beth, decide to leave the facility and live out their second chance lives on their own. When the novel opens in 2085, Anny Beth has unaged to 18 and Amelia just turned 15, and they are both still getting younger. They realize they will not be able to care for themselves much longer and need to figure out what to do. They think they have plenty of time, until an ancestor of Amelia’s tries to get in touch with them. The super-secret project required them to break all ties to family (their families thought they died of old age) in order to avoid becoming the center of a media circus.

The action goes back and forth from the start of the project to the present day in 2085, gradually filling in the stories of the project’s inception and Amelia and Anny Beth’s long, eventful reverse lives. I was captivated by this unique story and all the questions it provoked. It’s a fascinating concept to consider. There was plenty of suspense, not only in finding out how Amelia and Anny Beth would address their problem of turning back into children but also how they would elude the persistent family member following them. The details of the project and its progress are also gradually revealed. In all, this is a fast-paced and compelling story that easily kept my attention. I finished it in just a few days and look forward to reading more of Haddix’s novels.

240 pages, Simon Pulse

 

It's Monday 4/29! What Are You Reading?

We finally went camping this weekend! Woohoo! We hadn't had our pop-up camper out of the garage since last June, so we have all been dying to get out. My son's soccer game was cancelled for Saturday, so we went to one of our favorite local spots, Elk Neck State Park in Maryland. It was a relaxing weekend with perfect weather, and we enjoyed the beach, the warm sunshine and cool breeze, and a campfire at night. Too bad we had to come home and return to all of our obligations and must-dos!

We've had a good reading week, with plenty of book time this weekend:

• I finished Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. It is a very compelling story that is almost impossible to put down, but the two main characters are both pretty awful people. I'm glad I finally got to read it for myself after all the buzz last year.
• I am now reading The Game of Sunken Places by M.T. Anderson, a middle-grade fantasy/mystery that is very good so far. Reminds me of a cross between Jumanji and the Hardy Boys!
• I have been listening to The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, a middle-grade audio book that has garnered many awards, including the Newberry Medal in 2012. It is excellent so far.
• In spare moments, I have been reading two slim nonfiction books by Anna Quindlen. I finished A Short Guide to a Happy Life and am midway through Being Perfect. I have always enjoyed reading Quindlen's novels and essays and am enjoying her philosophical musings. I think that perhaps both books may have been based on commencement speeches she gave at her alma mater, Barnard.
• My husband, Ken, is reading A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin, book 3 in his A Song of Ice and Fire series. At almost 1000 pages, this one will keep him busy for a while!
• Our sons have been busy with school work, with no time for fun reading.

Not a lot of time for blogging last week, but I posted:

A review of Yokota Officer's Club by Sarah Bird, which I loved.

A tribute to author E.L. Konigsburg, who died last week.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, with a kid/teen version hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.)    

Children's Author E.L. Konigsburg Dies

Beloved children's author E.L. Konigsburg died on Friday, at age 83, of a stroke. Konigsburg holds the distinction of being the only author to win both the Newbery Medal and a Newbery Honor in the same year.

She was probably best-known for her classic children's novel, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (winner of the Newbery Medal in 1968). I was late to discover Konigsburg's delightful novels, though I had heard of her since I was a kid. Our family finally listened to From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on audio just a few years ago, and we all loved the story of a brother and sister who run away from home to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

We also listened to another Konigsburg novel on audio, The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World (the last book she published, in 2007), and enjoyed it as well.

Though my "kids" (now 15 and 18) don't enjoy listening to audio books anymore, I listened to another Konigsburg gem, The View from Saturday, just last year and reviewed it. Konigsburg won another well-deserved Newbery Medal in 1997 for this novel about unlikely friendship.

In all, Konigsburg wrote over 20 books for children, including both novels and picture books. Her talents will certainly be missed, but I am sure children will be enjoying her stories for many years to come.

If you are interested in more details of her life, check out this obituary from Publisher's Weekly.

What are your favorite Konigsburg books?

It's Monday 4/22! What Are You Reading?

Happy Earth Day! We are finally getting some spring weather with lots of flowers and trees in bloom, though it still feels more like March than April here in the mid-Atlantic!

I had a very hectic week last week, with my husband out of town for eight days, and lots of things going on here. Some of it was fun - like my mom visiting and coming to one of my book groups with me - but all of it together was very tiring! I was glad to have my husband back home this weekend and am happy to be alone in a quiet house this morning.

It was a great reading week:

• I finished The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom for one of my book groups. I loved this novel about family and race in the late 1700's, where a young orphaned Irish girl is brought up by a family of slaves. We had a lively and interesting discussion - lots to talk about!
• I read Turnabout by Margaret Peterson Haddix next, a teen/YA novel with a fascinating premise: a pair of scientists discover a way to reverse aging and give the drug to a group of elderly people in nursing homes. The catch? They don't know how to stop the "unaging" process. The narrative switches back and forth between the start of the project and 80 years later, when two of its participants are back to their teens and still getting younger. I enjoyed this so much that I lent it to my mom for her train ride home!
• Now, I am - FINALLY - reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Am I the last person on earth to finally get to this wildly popular novel? It is excellent so far - gripping right from the first chapter and on my mind constantly!
• My husband, Ken, read an e-book on his Kindle while he was traveling, a suspense novel by Robert Crais, one of his favorite authors. This was his first time borrowing an e-book from our local library.
• Yesterday, Ken finished The Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede, as recommended by my son and I! He referred to it as Little House on the Prairie at Hogwarts, and he enjoyed it and liked the premise but said it didn't have quite enough action for his taste.
• Ken just started A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin, book 3 in his A Song of Ice and Fire series which our son loves, too.
• Our sons were both busy with school work last week, with no extra time for reading.

With all the running around last week, I didn't have enough time to finish any reviews, but look for them this week! The only book blogging I managed after Monday was my Weekend Cooking post.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, with a kid/teen version hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.)   

It's Monday 4/15! What Are You Reading?

Happy Tax Day to my U.S. readers! Yup, big excitement today.

We had another busy week here, and my streak of great books continues!

• I finished The Yokota Officer's Club by Sarah Bird for my neighborhood book group and absolutely loved it! It's a novel about a military family and the secret event that tore their family apart years earlier. The author has a great sense of humor - I was laughing out loud from the very first pages! - but the novel is also warm, heartfelt, and sad. All the 60's pop culture references added an extra layer of fun.
• At the same time, I started listening to an audio of The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom, the selection for my other book group that meets this week (yes, I waited until the last minute again!). My library had a long wait list, so I started with the audio that was immediately available at the library and then switched to the paper book when a friend lent me her extra copy. It is excellent so far (both on audio and on paper), about a 6-year old Irish girl who is traveling to the US with her parents and brother in the 1700's. Her parents die during the voyage, so she is indentured to the man who had paid for their passage. She grows up among the slaves on his plantation.
• My husband, Ken, finished The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King, a new book in the Dark Tower series (Ken says it is like book 3 1/2) and enjoyed it.
• Ken is now reading The Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede, based on recommendations from my son and I!
• Jamie, 18, had a very busy week in college and no time for pleasure reading. I think he is ready for summer!
• Craig, 15, finished reading When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka for his freshman lit class. It's about the Japanese internment, and he said it was very good (high praise from someone who doesn't like to read!). I'm next in line for this one!

 I wrote one review last week of:

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver.

I also wrote a Weekend Cooking post about a new slow cooker cookbook I recently bought - the recipes I have made so far have been great!

And a post about a great opportunity for teens who like to read and write.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, with a kid/teen version hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.)  

Attention Teen Readers & Writers!

I just heard about a really fantastic opportunity for teens who are passionate about reading and like to write as well.

The website Teenreads.com has announced that they are accepting applications from teens ages 13-18 to be on their Teen Board for 6 months (from July - December 2013). They are looking for teens who love to read and have the time and interest in contributing to their website. Teen Board members write book reviews, blog posts, and interact on the site. Read all the details here (the application is on this page, too, if you are interested).

Sounds like a great opportunity for a book-loving teen...and it will look great on a college application, too!

It's Monday 4/8! What Are You Reading?

Silence is golden!  Ahhh...the kids' two spring breaks are over, and I am once again alone in the quiet house. Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed spending time with each of them (though greatly missed our usual spring break vacation when their breaks were the same week!), but it was tiring for me, and I am worn out. I am looking forward to focusing a bit on myself again and getting some work done, too. Of course, I just got a text from my son in college that he needs a hand-written note from me by 11 am today, so it looks like I am still on the clock! (and what kind of college professor requires a note from a parent when you miss class????)

Anyway, we all read plenty of books last week:

• I worked on We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver for a few days and finally set it aside after about 100 pages or so. In part, this was because I have a book group this Wednesday and needed to start that book, but I will probably not go back to it. It is very rare for me to not finish a book. This one was depressing - which I expected since it is about a school shooting - but my big problem with it was that I didn't like the narrator and couldn't relate to her. The novel is written as a series of letters from the mom of the teen shooter to her ex-husband, looking back over their lives together and what went wrong with their son. But the mom came across as cold, selfish, and uncaring. I was just not enjoying it, and, as my husband reminded me, life is too short to read books you don't like!
• The book I began for my neighborhood book group is much, much better: The Yokota Officer's Club by Sarah Bird. I am loving this novel so far! It's about a military family with 6 kids assigned to Okinawa in the 1960's. It's funny and heartfelt, and I am loving all the pop culture references of the time period!
• My husband, Ken, is reading The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King, which I gave him for Easter last week. I was wrong in describing it before as a prequel to the Dark Tower series. Ken says it is more of an in-between book, somewhere around book 3 1/2.
• Jamie, 18, finished A Dance with Dragons, book 5 in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. He said it was excellent and ended with a big cliff-hanger, so he can't wait for book #6 now!
• Craig, 15, was on spring break last week which for him means a break from reading for school!

I wrote two reviews last week:

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (fabulous novel!),
Ruins by Orson Scott Card, a teen/YA sci fi novel.

I also posted:
My March Reading Summary, and
Weekend Cooking 4/7.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, with a kid/teen version hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.) 
  

Books Read in March

Spring has been slow to arrive here in Delaware this year, with our biggest (and only) snowfall of the year at the end of the month and a very cold Easter weekend. But no matter what the weather is outside, it's always a good time for reading! Here are the books I finished in March:

• The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey, a fabulous, magical novel (Alaska)
• Crispin -The Cross of Lead by Avi, middle-grade novel set in the Middle Ages (England)
• Stolen by Lucy Christopher, teen/YA novel, about a kidnapped girl and her captive (Australia)

• The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker, another amazing novel (California)
• Ruins by Orson Scott Card, a teen/YA sci fi novel (other worldly!)
• Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver, an audio book novel (Tennessee)

 It was an all-fiction month! Of the 6 novels I read, two were for grown-ups, two for teens/YA, and one for middle-graders. I enjoyed all of them - it was an excellent reading month! - but I think my favorite was The Age of Miracles. Or The Snow Child. Do I have to choose? I loved both.

2013 Reading Challenges: I added only 3 new states (Alaska, California, and Tennessee) to my 2013 Where Are You Reading Challenge. It's always interesting when you read sci fi, and it is not located on this world, let alone in this country. I read mostly new books this month and just one from my TBR shelf for a total of 7 so far for the 2013 TBR Pile Challenge, but I think I should get extra credit for Crispin because it was on my shelf for so many years! I finally finished my second audio book for the 2013 Audio Book Challenge - I doubt I will make it to my goal of 12; I just don't have enough alone time for listening to audios.

What were your favorite books read in March?

Teen/YA Review: Ruins

My husband, 18-year old son, and I are all big fans of Orson Scott Card. We all read his series that starts with Ender’s Game, a classic by now (my husband and I read it 25 years ago!). So, when we heard he had a new sci fi series out for teens and young adults, we were all excited. All three of us loved the first book, Pathfinder, and I was just the last one of us to read its sequel, Ruins, which was just as good. I’ll try not to include any spoilers for those who have not yet read Pathfinder and still want to start the series…so that means I can’t really say too much about the plot because both books have a lot of twists and turns and surprises.

Most of the main characters from the first book are back for Ruins, setting off on a journey with the goal of literally saving the world. Rigg, the main character from Pathfinder, is back and the de facto leader of the small group, though his best friend, Umbo, is a bit jealous and wonders why he’s not the leader. Both Rigg and Umbo have unusual skills. Rigg can see the paths of all living creatures, even those that passed by thousands of years ago. Umbo can travel back in time to the recent past, and when the two friends work together,  Rigg can travel far back into the past with great accuracy, with Umbo anchoring him to the present and able to bring him back.

These talents come in handy, but the problem is that none of their little group can travel into the future. All they know is that their world will be destroyed in a few years, but they don’t understand why or how to fix it. As they try to save their world’s future, they learn more and more about its unusual origins and past.

As in Pathfinder, much of Ruins deals with time travel and with the philosophical and ethical issues around trying to change the past. I love time travel plots for exactly this reason – the fascinating, often paradoxical, discussions that are integral to them. What happens to your own present when you change the past? Do alternate histories disappear or remain intact? Could you actually make changes in the past that would result in you no longer existing in the present?

Besides these existential issues, there is ample suspense in this story and plenty of action. The group doesn’t know whom they can trust, and it seems that everyone they meet turns out to be lying to them in one way or another. Everything they try seems to fail, as they struggle to figure out how to save the world from its pending destruction. This is a fast-paced and exciting adventure that is also thought-provoking. Card has done it again, and we can’t wait for book #3!

530 pages, Simon Pulse


 

It's Monday 4/1! What Are You Reading?

Happy April Fool's Day! When my kids were little, I cooked a whole April Fool's dinner one year, thanks to ideas from FamilyFun magazine. We had "donuts" that were actually shaped ground turkey with white cheese "glaze" on top, "mashed potatoes and gravy" that was actually vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce, and "French fries" that were really baked apples cut in the shape of fries. It worked really well - maybe a little too well! Jamie, who was about 5, caught on and got a kick out of it, but Craig, 2, was convinced by the foolery. He actually thought the turkey was real donuts and asked for a second one! His eyes really fooled his taste buds. Family legend now, of course.

Hope you all had a nice Easter weekend. We went on a little mini vacation to Rehoboth Beach, but it didn't work out quite as planned. Craig got sick Friday night (not sure if it was a virus or the raw oysters he had for dinner) and spent most of the weekend sleeping in the hotel room. We did manage a trip to our favorite bookstore in town.

Busy week last week, with my son home from college and my husband out of town, but we all enjoyed our books:

• I finished Ruins by Orson Scott Card, sequel to Pathfinder. It was just as good as my son and husband said it was, and I can't wait for book 3! It's a complex time travel/sci fi plot and very thought-provoking.
• Now I am reading We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver for my library's book discussion next week. It's a very somber topic, about a mother's perspective after her son goes on a shooting spree at his school, but is well-written and engaging so far. The trouble is, my neighborhood book group also meets next Wednesday, and I haven't started that one yet. Ruins took a bit longer than I expected.
• I finished listening to my audio book, Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver. It took me a while to get into it, but I was disappointed when it ended! As is typical with Kingsolver novels, the characters felt like close friends by the end.
• My husband, Ken, finished The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - this one is on my must-read list this year!
• I gave Ken a gift from his Easter basket early since he finished his book on Saturday and had nothing to read! He started The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King, a sort-of prequel to the Dark Tower series, which he loves.
• Jamie, 18, was home on spring break last week and thoroughly enjoyed having some reading time for a change. He's reading A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin, Book 5 in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, and loving it! He said he wants to re-read the first 4 books again - only about 4000 pages or so!
• Craig, 15, surprised us all and bought a book at the bookstore we visited this weekend! Usually, he only reads when required to for school, but his interest was piqued by a nonfiction book about a shipwreck (he loves the ocean and sailing): In the Heart of the Sea: Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathanial Philbrick.

So busy last week that I had no time at all for blog posts or reviews.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, with a kid/teen version hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.) 
 

It's Monday 3/25! What Are You Reading?

We woke up to snow this morning! What happened to spring?? This is more snow than we've gotten all winter...and it's March 25. Crazy. We finally had to give up on our plans to go camping next weekend - though it will warm up a bit, the nights will just be too cold still.

I had a bit of a rough week - just experienced a flare-up of my chronic illness as a result of the over-exertion of attending a family funeral last weekend. Fortunately, I didn't have much scheduled so was able to rest when I needed to...and read!

• Last week, I read The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker, a Christmas gift from my husband. It was just as good as I'd heard! I was totally engrossed in the story and the characters. It is an emotionally powerful book, both on a personal level and on a global level.
• Now, I am reading Ruins by Orson Scott Card, sequel to Pathfinder. Both books have made the rounds in our family! I worried I wouldn't remember enough of the complex story in Pathfinder, but within a chapter, I was completely absorbed by the story again - Card is an amazing writer.
• I am still listening to Barbara Kingsolver's latest novel on audio, Flight Behavior. I had hoped to finish it by the end of the month, but that might be impossible with 2 weeks of spring break ahead (i.e. no alone-time!). I am really enjoying it.
• My husband, Ken, is reading A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, a recent purchase of mine from the used book store. Neither of us has ever read it before!
• Jamie, 18, is home from college for spring break and among other lazy delights, he is enjoying having some reading time! He is reading A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin, Book 5 in the A Song of Ice and Fire series and loving it! He says he wants to re-read the first 4 books now (and he'll do it, too!).
• Craig, 15, is reading When the Emperor was Divine by Julie Otsuka for his freshman lit class, a novel about the Japanese-American internment during World War II. He is actually enjoying this one! I definitely want to read it when he is done, since our neighborhood book group recently read its sort-of prequel, The Buddha is the Attic.

I reviewed two books last week:
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey, a highly recommended novel that I loved.
Stolen by Lucy Christopher, a teen/YA novel that explores the relationship between a kidnapper and his captive.

I also wrote a Weekend Cooking post this week.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, with a kid/teen version hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.) 

The snow is beautiful this morning...but it's supposed to be spring!!

Teen/YA Review: Stolen

 Stolen by Lucy Christopher won a Printz Honor award in 2011, and it’s easy to see why. This unique novel about the relationship between a kidnapper and his captive has great emotional depth and explores the gray areas of what is usually considered a straightforward issue.

Gemma, a teen traveling with her parents, is kidnapped from the airport by a young man named Ty. Before he drugs her and takes her away, Gemma is attracted to the handsome man with the blue eyes who buys her a coffee, but when she wakes up in unfamiliar surroundings, all she feels is fear.

The novel is told as a letter from Gemma to Ty about her experiences, starting from the moment she saw him in the airport. You would think that her story would be horrifying and terrifying, but it’s far more complicated than that. Ty treats her with kindness, and the two of them are alone, in the definitive “middle of nowhere,” with no one to rely on but each other. She must trust him to some degree, as she is relying on him for her survival in this dangerous and remote – yet beautiful – place.

I won’t say any more about the plot because part of this book’s attraction is its suspense and surprises. The novel is well written and wholly unique. I have read several other teen/YA novels about abductions, and while they were engrossing, this one takes a different approach and explores a far more complicated relationship than just captor and captive. In fact, there are times when you find yourself actually rooting for Ty, even though you know what he did was horribly wrong. I love thought-provoking books that explore the gray areas of life, and this one fits the bill. Stolen is both tender and terrifying, showing that there is almost always more to a situation than meets the eye.

299 pages, Scholastic

 

It's Monday 3/18! What Are You Reading?

We had a long and tiring weekend here, but it was good to spend time with family. My dad and his wife spent the weekend with us, and we all went to my uncle's funeral on Saturday. So, we didn't have a lot of time for reading last week (or blogging), but we did fit in some good books:

• I finished Crispin - The Cross of Lead by Avi. My husband and son were right - it was an excellent middle-grade novel!
• I broke with tradition and read another kid/teen/YA novel instead of alternating with a grown-up book. Last night, I finished Stolen by Lucy Christopher, an award-winning YA novel from the perspective of a teen girl who's been abducted. This one didn't focus on abuse, as have other teen/YA abduction novels I've read, but on the relationship that develops between the kidnapper and his captive. An engrossing and unique story. I haven't decided what to read next yet.
• I am still listening to Barbara Kingsolver's latest novel on audio, Flight Behavior, and enjoying it very much.
• My husband, Ken, just finished Ruins by Orson Scott Card, sequel to Pathfinder. He said it was good, but he liked Pathfinder better. I'm next in line for this one!
• Now, Ken has just started reading A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood which I recently bought at the local used bookstore. Neither of us has read this sci fi dystopian classic before.
• Craig, 15, is reading When the Emperor was Divine by Julie Otsuka for his freshman lit class, a novel about the Japanese-American internment during World War II. Ironically, my own neighborhood book group just read the prequel to this book, The Buddha in the Attic, a few months ago, so I am looking forward to reading this one when he is finished with it.
• Jamie, 18, didn't have time for pleasure reading last week because he's been so busy at college, but he is sick today, with a flare-up of his chronic illnesses, so he is planning to finally dive into A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin, Book 5 in the A Song of Ice and Fire series today. A good book is the perfect antidote to a sick day in bed!

I wrote two new reviews last week:  
The House on Mango Street, a classic novel by Sandra Cisneros
Crispin - Cross of Lead by Avi, a middle-grade novel.

I also posted two lists:
Top Ten Books on My Spring TBR List
Top Ten Kids/Teen Books on My Spring TBR List

Finally, I shared some good news, that two of my essays have been published in a new Chicken Soup book.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, with a kid/teen version hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.)

Middle-Grade Review: Crispin: The Cross of Lead

My husband and son have been telling me to read Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi for many years. The book collected dust on my TBR shelf for a very long time, but I finally got around to reading it this week. Guess what? They were right! Crispin is an exciting, fast-paced novel set in a fascinating time period.

It is the Middle Ages in England in 1377. A thirteen-year old boy who has only ever been known as Asta’s son is grieving over the loss of his mother, the only family he’s ever known. He lives in a small, rural village where everyone is very poor and works for the Lord of the local area. Though he thinks he has nothing left to lose, Asta’s son is soon accused of a crime he didn’t commit, with a price put on his head.

Confused, alone, and frightened, he flees his tiny village and goes past its boundaries for the first time in his life. He has nothing but his mother’s cross of lead and a newly revealed name, Crispin. With no sense of anything outside his village, Crispin embarks on an arduous journey through the English countryside with his enemies close behind him, though Crispin has no idea why they are after him. He meets up with a strange, large man named Bear who makes Crispin his personal servant, though Crispin comes to see Bear as more of a benefactor over time, as they flee from Crispin’s pursuers together.

My husband and son were right – this is an exciting, fast-paced adventure story with plenty of heart...oh, and by the way, it won the Newberry Medal. It is filled with surprises (some of which I guessed at, but it is meant for middle-grade readers). Any kids who enjoy historical settings or adventure in any form will come to care for Crispin and root him on, as the pages fly by.

262 pages, Hyperion Books

2013 Reading Challenges:

This book takes place in England for my Where Are You Reading Challenge and counts toward my TBR Pile Reading Challenge.