We are back home from spring break, after visiting my father-in-law in Oklahoma last week. It was a good visit but a loooong drive home (mostly in the rain) this weekend. The weather was so bad, we weren't even able to camp; we had to stay in hotels on the way home. But now we're home...and facing lots of unpacking and catching up today.
We enjoyed some good books while we were away:
- I have been reading Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. I absolutely LOVE this novel about two children separated by the Japanese internment during World War II. I just want to keep reading and hate to set it down! The author is speaking here in my town this week, so I am hoping to attend his talk (this is our County Reads selection).
- My husband, Ken, is still reading Black Hills, a historical novel by Dan Simmons set in one of our favorite places, where he has family.
- After finishing The Farsala Trilogy by Hilari Bell, Jamie, 17, re-read one of his all-time favorite novels, Maddigan's Fantasia by Margaret Mahy.
- Craig, 14, is reading Book 4 of The Last Apprentice by Joseph Delaney, Attack of the Fiend. I read some of it with him during our trip. He loves this series!
- In the car, we finished listening to Ship Breaker by award-winning author Paolo Bagicalupi, a teen/YA dystopian novel (and a Printz honor winner) that we all enjoyed. It was dark, action-packed, and gripping.
- And I read a big stack of magazines in the car. That's my guilty pleasure for long car rides! I never have time to look through magazines normally, so they just stack up. I can't read books in the car without getting sick, but I can manage flipping through magazines, so I enjoyed that little break.
What are you and your family reading this week?
(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, with a kids/teen version hosted at Teach Mentor Texts.)
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| Enjoying a campfire in Tennessee |
5 comments:
I had Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet when I was on maternity leave about a year and a half ago. I liked it but I remember feeling really disjointed...probably because I was distracted or overtired with a baby. I should try it again, especially since you so thoroughly enjoyed it.
I love camping! We usually go once a year because my husband is a hotel-lover. When I was little we camped a lot. :)
Good to know Ship Breaker is a good audio. I was thinking of re-reading it via audiobook before I start on The Drowned Cities which I think is not a direct sequel but more like a companion book.
I too enjoyed Corner of Bitter and Sweet, which was particularly interesting for me living in Seattle. I look forward to reading more from Jamie Ford!
-Lorna (@notforlunch)
Jen - I would definitely give it another try - I stuck mainly to fast-paced mysteries in those early infant days when I was so sleep-deprived!
Hannahilly - I just read that The Drowned Cities is a stand-alone novel with different characters. I would definitely recommend the Ship Breaker audio - it was well-done.
Lorna - Oh, that would be a great novel to read if you lived in Seattle! I have never been there but would love to visit.
Sue
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet was one I adored as well!
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