tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3717373328537651972024-02-20T13:31:13.505-05:00Great Books for Kids and TeensReviews of great books for kids, teens, and young adult readers.Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.comBlogger525125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-30857619465891337722014-05-07T10:56:00.000-04:002014-05-07T10:56:14.661-04:00Great Books for Kids and Teens is Moving!You can now find the content from <b>Great Books for Kids and Teens</b> on my other book blog, <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/">Book By Book</a>.<br />
<br />
I have spent a lot of time thinking about this and decided to merge my two book blogs into one. You will still find the same reviews of great books for middle-grade readers, teens, and young adults, as well as YA book news and other fun stuff - that content will just be located at <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/">Book By Book</a>, along with reviews of great adult books, too!<br />
<br />
In fact, eliminating the duplicate work I have been doing to maintain two book blogs will allow me more time to provide even more content on books for all ages.<br />
<br />
And don't worry - <b>Great Books for Kids and Teens</b> won't be disappearing. All the hundreds of archived reviews of books for middle-grade, teen, and YA readers will still be found right here. You can use the keyword search box or click on a category in the right-hand column to search for particular reviews. All new reviews will be posted at <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/">Book By Book</a>, where you can find both kid/teen/YA and adult book reviews and news all in one place!<br />
<br />
So, hop on over to <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/">Book By Book</a> and click the link to follow it so you wont miss a single review! You can also follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Book-By-Book/662020750483357">Book By Book on Facebook</a>. See you there!Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-36308457854412699392014-05-05T10:23:00.001-04:002014-05-05T10:23:51.462-04:00It's Monday 5/5! What Are You Reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVAVZvgzDsIBknylz9omVbxSHJrlwy0dA2NBr5RI5isXbN0y6XqlaClmGwxocgw9RH5LXi5lnAgNtC-e0iUZ5HZns1ejxl8IMZfGY6pBoAb7JMXGiTQuwoe0zJ4f4QR_oKie-TnbwHOc/s1600/Monday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVAVZvgzDsIBknylz9omVbxSHJrlwy0dA2NBr5RI5isXbN0y6XqlaClmGwxocgw9RH5LXi5lnAgNtC-e0iUZ5HZns1ejxl8IMZfGY6pBoAb7JMXGiTQuwoe0zJ4f4QR_oKie-TnbwHOc/s1600/Monday.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Happy Cinco de Mayo! I really can't believe it is May already...April went by in a flash!<br />
<br />
I
spent a lovely, relaxing weekend at the beach with my two closest
friends. We went kayaking out on a quiet, peaceful creek, walked on the
beach, played games, and talked and laughed nonstop!<br />
<br />
So,
I am feeling refreshed and rejuvenated this morning, ready to start a
new week! Here's what my family and I have been reading this past week:<br />
<ul>
<li>I am almost finished with <b>The Dream Thieves</b> by Maggie Stiefvater, book 2 of the <i>Raven Boys</i> series. It's been wonderful, just as good as the first book, and I should finish it today.</li>
<li>I am also almost finished with <b>Time Management from the Inside Out</b>
by Julie Morganstern. This one has taken me a long time to get through
because partway through I decided to return the library's copy and get
my own copy and then I reread parts of it. I have also been implementing
some of her advice as I read. Last week, I did her Quick Sort to get
rid of all the paper piles on my kitchen counter, and it worked
wonderfully!</li>
<li>My husband, Ken, is reading <b>The Hangman's Daughter </b>by Oliver Potzsch on his Kindle. It's a thriller set in Germany in 1660.</li>
<li>Jamie, 19, is reading <b>The Lies of Locke Lamora</b>
by Scott Lynch, one of the new purchases he made with a gift card last
week that he's very excited to read! It's a medieval fantasy with "the
suspense and wit of a crime caper," pretty much combining all of my
son's favorite things.</li>
<li>Craig, 16, finished <b>MacBeth</b> for his Brit Lit class (and did very well on the exam for it!). Unfortunately, his teacher ran out of time and is going to have to skip their last planned book, <i>Frankenstein</i>. I told my son I was sorry he wouldn't get to read that one, but he said, "That's OK - MacBeth was actually pretty good." Music to my ears from my son who normally claims he doesn't like reading!</li>
</ul>
I was able to catch up on some reviews last week:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/04/fiction-review-unbearable-lightness-of.html">Review of <b>The Unbearable Lightness of Being</b></a> by Milan Kundera, a modern classic. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/05/fiction-review-silver-linings-playbook.html">Review of <b>The Silver Linings Playbook</b></a> by Matthew Quick, which I loved! <br />
<br />
<a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/04/middle-gradeteen-review-carpet-people.html">Review of <b>The Carpet People</b></a>, written by famed author Terry Pratchett when he was just 17. <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">What are you and your family reading this week? </span></span></span></b>
<br />
<br />
<b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Sheila at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a>, with a kid/teen version hosted by <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>. Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-62710186154497491852014-04-30T09:52:00.001-04:002014-04-30T09:52:33.097-04:00Middle-Grade/Teen Review – The Carpet People<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Ez8pLDqMQDWyXO4k0I8w4BSjdXgOdDFjrLvdPmemCF6bfiM7itrBgr7xCPLCKoGii63mRmt30qZZwxnLK9miWFpH17zr_i9Do28Qsbbr7meNNckVPhKGytL0jTvbBXg0PxFpjP-fnTk/s1600/Carpet+People.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Ez8pLDqMQDWyXO4k0I8w4BSjdXgOdDFjrLvdPmemCF6bfiM7itrBgr7xCPLCKoGii63mRmt30qZZwxnLK9miWFpH17zr_i9Do28Qsbbr7meNNckVPhKGytL0jTvbBXg0PxFpjP-fnTk/s1600/Carpet+People.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a></div>
I wasn’t sure how to classify Terry Pratchett’s charming
fantasy <b>The Carpet People</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">. It was
originally written for a general audience, published as a serial in the
newspaper, by the now-famous writer when he was only 17 years old. I think it
will appeal to all ages, from middle-grade readers all the way up to adults,
especially those who like whimsy and clever, fanciful adventure.</span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the name suggests, <b>The Carpet People</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is about a whole population of tiny beings who live
unseen among the carpet fibers. In fact, there are different races and tribes
of people and even animals living in the wilds of the carpet. This story
focuses on a tribe called the Munrungs, which is part of the Dumii Empire.
Specifically, the story is about two brothers. Glurk, a physical and
slow-thinking man, took over as Chieftan when his father, old Grimm Orkson,
died. Glurk’s younger brother, Snibril, is more of a cerebral young man who was
taught to read and write by Pismire, the tribe’s shaman.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When danger threatens their village, the nomadic Munrungs
set off on a journey across the carpet. It’s a dangerous journey, and along the
way, they meet other people whose customs and habits are much different than
the Munrungs. Eventually, they must overcome their fears of each other and band
together to defeat their common enemy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To be honest, I’m not normally a fan of classic fantasy
stories with made-up people and beasts and worlds, but Pratchett’s unique story
is very clever, filled with humorous word play and lots of action. It easily
kept me entertained while I listened to it on audio, read by a talented
narrator who conveyed Pratchett’s sense of whimsy. The audio also included a
note from the author at the beginning, explaining how he first wrote <b>The
Carpet People</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> and then recently revised it
for this reprinting, and the unedited version of the original serial story
included at the end.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Later, I found out that the paper version is actually filled
with Pratchett’s own illustrations, amusing line drawings that bring the
Munrungs to life on the page, so this might be a case where the book has an
advantage over the audio. I also suspect that I may have missed some of the
clever word play in listening rather than reading, though the audio was very
entertaining. You can take a peek at some of the illustrations or listen to a
sample of the audio at the Amazon link included at the bottom of this post.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Overall, I enjoyed this clever and thoughtful story about
tribes of tiny people living in the carpet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe it or not, this was my very first Terry Pratchett
novel (his books have sold over 80 million copies!), so I think I will be
reading more of his work. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Listening
Library</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=wwwsuzanjacks-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0544212479&asins=0544212479&linkId=OJEZJSRDJ5QEVTIU&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br></iframe> </span>
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-1295219817589153592014-04-28T09:44:00.002-04:002014-04-28T09:44:27.849-04:00It's Monday 4/28! What Are You Reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7ilbs-cF0vH5_UuwsaHpC3CfvWaMYlILPf8EajUAUZ8-1ipF5v-zgc8pbe_z4jqTjORzYuiINS0o6O3PxvSLcZdffkEUHyAC9Gt9yE6RdEWQkxlHOCDoyvHSeI23r7DwBWSdsTLjz0g/s1600/Monday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7ilbs-cF0vH5_UuwsaHpC3CfvWaMYlILPf8EajUAUZ8-1ipF5v-zgc8pbe_z4jqTjORzYuiINS0o6O3PxvSLcZdffkEUHyAC9Gt9yE6RdEWQkxlHOCDoyvHSeI23r7DwBWSdsTLjz0g/s1600/Monday.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Ah,
the quiet solitude of a Monday morning! I really need this today, after
a hectic weekend. My husband is visiting his dad in Oklahoma, so it was
just me and my sons this weekend, doing all the running around,
errands, cooking, cleaning, etc. I am feeling exhausted and also
overwhelmed by all I need to do so am hoping to have some quiet catch-up
time this week.<br />
<br />
I didn't write any reviews at all last
week because we took a mini-vacation since it was my son's spring
break. We went camping for a couple of days near the gorgeous Chesapeake
Bay. It was wonderful to be outdoors and surrounded by so much natural
beauty for a couple of days, even if all the usual mess and to-do lists
were still waiting when we got back home! I posted a few pictures of the
trip on<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/04/snapshot-saturday-426.html"> Snapshot Saturday</a>.<br />
<br />
So, with our camping trip, we had plenty of reading time last week:<br />
<ul>
<li>I finished <b>The God of Small Thing</b>s
by Arundhati Roy for one of my book groups. It was well-written though a
bit confusing at times and quite depressing. You know from the
beginning that it ends in tragedy, so it was a bit heavy for my tastes,
though I look forward to discussing it.</li>
<li>I needed something light, fun, and easy after that, so I am reading <b>The Dream Thieves</b>, Book 2 of <i>The Raven Cycle</i> by Maggie Stiefvater. I loved the first book, <i>The Raven Boys</i>, and my son recently enjoyed this one, so I am glad to get to it before I forget everything that happened in the first book!</li>
<li>I
just realized I haven't started a new audiobook yet since I didn't
really have any time alone last week - I'll have to pick one out today. I
did enjoy some of <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-favorite-book-podcasts.html">my favorite book podcasts</a> this weekend.</li>
<li>My husband, Ken, is reading <b>Faithful Place</b>
by Tana French and may have finished it by now. He loves her books and
was enjoying the Irish slang in this one! When he finishes it, he'll be
reading something on his Kindle during the rest of his trip.</li>
<li>Jamie, 19, is still reading <b>The White Tree </b>by Edward W. Robertson on his Kindle. This is book one of the <i>Cycle of Arawn</i> series. He said it's very long, and he had a lot of quizzes and tests last week in college so not much reading time.
He recently cashed in a $75 gift card, so packages from Amazon have
been arriving at the house daily - he is so happy to have so many great
books lined up!</li>
<li>I think that Craig, 15, must be finished or close to finishing <b>MacBeth</b> by now for his Brit Lit class. This week is state testing.</li>
</ul>
Like I said, no time for writing reviews last week, so my only post was:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/04/snapshot-saturday-426.html">Snapshot Saturday</a>, with photos from our camping trip near the Chesapeake Bay.<br />
<br />
I hope to catch up on reviews this week.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">What are you and your family reading this week? </span></span></span></b>
<br />
<br />
<b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Sheila at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a>, with a kid/teen version hosted by <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-55183458588238680932014-04-21T16:15:00.002-04:002014-04-21T16:15:29.531-04:00It's Monday 4/21! What Are You Reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYnvvEwFgEOJYjFNyjVurqakNyCvr6EHvm4Xd-s5kiYeATB9gv7PFNcSxpd6GnANOdPUsyPhxQJ91oJafZZR7K6mKQjdvD1A6uAaw8EbB4zAFTULNqrHn0XhVRR9zKmcHRk3VAmY7Dzg/s1600/Monday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYnvvEwFgEOJYjFNyjVurqakNyCvr6EHvm4Xd-s5kiYeATB9gv7PFNcSxpd6GnANOdPUsyPhxQJ91oJafZZR7K6mKQjdvD1A6uAaw8EbB4zAFTULNqrHn0XhVRR9zKmcHRk3VAmY7Dzg/s1600/Monday.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Whew,
I'm a bit late posting today - it's going to be a super-busy week! My
younger son is home on spring break, so we went shopping this morning
and will be heading out for a couple of days of camping later this week
(unfortunately, it's supposed to get colder and wetter again). Not my
usual quiet Monday morning routine!<br />
<br />
Anyway, here's what we read last week:<br />
<ul>
<li>I finished <b>Out of the Easy</b> by Ruta Sepetys, a wonderful YA novel set in New Orleans's French Quarter in 1950. I loved it and read it very quickly.</li>
<li>Now I am reading <b>The God of Small Thing</b>s
by Arundhati Roy for one of my book groups. This one I'm not loving so
far, though it has its moments. It's set in India and is the story of
two fraternal twins whose lives are forever changed by the events that
occur in one day when they are children.</li>
<li>I finished listening to <b>Loud Awake and Lost</b>
by Adele Griffin, another YA novel, on audio in record time. I really
enjoyed the compelling story about a teen girl trying to piece together
her missing memory after a horrible accident. </li>
<li>My husband, Ken, is reading <b>Faithful Place</b>
by Tana French. I got him started on this series last year and gave him
this third novel as a gift for Christmas. He really enjoys both the
mysteries and the writing style.</li>
<li>Jamie, 19, finished <b>The Killing Moon</b> by N.K. Jemison, a book I gave him as a gift last year, and loved it. </li>
<li>He is now reading <b>The White Tree </b>by Edward W. Robertson on his Kindle. This is book one of the <i>Cycle of Arawn</i> series. It was one of 26 free books that he recently downloaded! He is both an avid reader and a bargain hunter.</li>
</ul>
Despite a very busy week last week, I managed a few blog posts:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/04/fiction-review-gap-creek.html">Review of <b>Gap Creek</b></a> by Robert Morgan, a historical novel.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/04/weekend-cooking-420-review-against-all.html">Weekend Cooking/Review of <b>Against All Grain</b> Cookbook</a> <br />
<br />
Summary of <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/04/books-read-in-march.html">Books Read in March</a><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">What are you and your family reading this week? </span></span></span></b>
<br />
<br />
<b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Sheila at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a>, with a kid/teen version hosted by <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-80026478552730456062014-04-19T13:01:00.002-04:002014-04-19T13:01:16.626-04:00Books Read in March<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0WByQsVHr9wQUQSXauIeXvIZSrqvO-beEernZHmcl6GkS_5iv4y6n6pH3QY4iFl1yhIyJStQh1HPdCPtfAMsgiorC5qgv3qmlwR2EtnI8uci3ma5DdPUGwf8do1tLp_gWMNS0kMjMio/s1600/IMG_1714.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0WByQsVHr9wQUQSXauIeXvIZSrqvO-beEernZHmcl6GkS_5iv4y6n6pH3QY4iFl1yhIyJStQh1HPdCPtfAMsgiorC5qgv3qmlwR2EtnI8uci3ma5DdPUGwf8do1tLp_gWMNS0kMjMio/s1600/IMG_1714.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
I
thought I was late with my monthly summary last month! ha ha Here it
is, April 19 already. Where did the last 3 weeks go?? Then again, spring
itself has been late this month, so my blog fits right in.<br />
<br />
March
was a light reading month for me, with only four books completed,
though one of those was 650 pages. Here's what I read in March:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/04/fiction-review-amazing-adventures-of.html"><b>The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay</b></a> by Michael Chabon, fiction (New York)</li>
<li><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/03/teenya-review-insurgent-and-allegiant.html"><b>Allegiant</b></a> by Veronica Roth, YA dystopian fiction (Illinois)</li>
<li><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/03/middle-grade-review-last-present.html"><b>The Last Present</b></a> by Wendy Mass, middle-grade fiction</li>
<li><a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/04/fiction-review-gap-creek.html"><b>Gap Creek</b></a> by Robert Morgan, historical fiction (South Carolina)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJtMzvzpvKHa46BXig378SXYfUbV7IqBQCyObr4FW5dlQJVzYstl_t8ew5LynkZf5vGJ8LOH47lR2WDWSNqNkpQFHMyCyZSNHTC_kiwTfO322zNWtydLxoP9FRbPs4uSnvHHQpVitLho/s1600/Kavalier+&+Clay.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJtMzvzpvKHa46BXig378SXYfUbV7IqBQCyObr4FW5dlQJVzYstl_t8ew5LynkZf5vGJ8LOH47lR2WDWSNqNkpQFHMyCyZSNHTC_kiwTfO322zNWtydLxoP9FRbPs4uSnvHHQpVitLho/s1600/Kavalier+&+Clay.jpg" height="200" width="134" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwtWWtKVAYwUDR_esjIwlTT-mqtoKBr47XsUFckUBB9sAE5I7r4_d2IO7RyE_Q59Jh77jXD1DBfmxKiExGsh0FnFg7xheIQodJDD4f-mIMlRz10mdbKpASwBowe-y0W4XhNKZe4PQyPXY/s1600/allegiant.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwtWWtKVAYwUDR_esjIwlTT-mqtoKBr47XsUFckUBB9sAE5I7r4_d2IO7RyE_Q59Jh77jXD1DBfmxKiExGsh0FnFg7xheIQodJDD4f-mIMlRz10mdbKpASwBowe-y0W4XhNKZe4PQyPXY/s1600/allegiant.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINiaTahfc9-eDPCG-UtNFN9-8rZBUvu9FhdkIFqNiMsKgV6RMKEdtdLIhn_OpVpGlb-doXc6Cu7q7qRAHmI5bHEoTzrxV2BDRLoq5PJzgyBwfv1L-LAmZrx_Watjg_1TUr7N4Ev56zRE/s1600/LastPresent.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINiaTahfc9-eDPCG-UtNFN9-8rZBUvu9FhdkIFqNiMsKgV6RMKEdtdLIhn_OpVpGlb-doXc6Cu7q7qRAHmI5bHEoTzrxV2BDRLoq5PJzgyBwfv1L-LAmZrx_Watjg_1TUr7N4Ev56zRE/s1600/LastPresent.jpg" height="200" width="145" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXGCDoWkACL8il-OZnNhxEFa01OOzkLFNPQLEmc77KEFyS9mMu6YR6ETSrWVTF6VEVl3OTDu9Qp7uHj_DynQoWlFkcnT15PGrG_2ifs-DieRPMMgBfIK6xZ_JIsxEgOWZdMF5TrfqxI4/s1600/Gap+Creek.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXGCDoWkACL8il-OZnNhxEFa01OOzkLFNPQLEmc77KEFyS9mMu6YR6ETSrWVTF6VEVl3OTDu9Qp7uHj_DynQoWlFkcnT15PGrG_2ifs-DieRPMMgBfIK6xZ_JIsxEgOWZdMF5TrfqxI4/s1600/Gap+Creek.jpg" height="200" width="125" /></a></div>
<br />
Only four books, all fiction, but a nice range of age groups, and I enjoyed them all. I think my favorite of the month was <b>The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay</b>, which I ended up liking much more than I expected to.<br />
<br />
Update on <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/2014-reading-challenges.html">2014 Reading Challenges</a>: <br />
I added just one state to my <b>Where Are You Reading Challenge 2014 </b>this month. For the third month in a row, I read just ONE book from my TBR shelves for my <b>2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge</b>.
I really need to stop getting books out of the library and get cracking
on all the books I already have! I listened to one more audio book for
my <b>2014 Audio Book Challenge</b>, so that one's going well so far. I finally read one nonfiction book! Still not a single classic, though.<br />
<br />
What was your favorite book read in March? Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-25198614075510191192014-04-14T10:31:00.002-04:002014-04-14T10:31:20.104-04:00It's Monday 4/14! What Are You Reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqk075q6qlGtKgV-jBBaRmFc4f-kAhU-wWfQpqE9cqkqGrAsgaK5UoQtDb3QBXHotDHF57HRUMyWnrwzbh4qXRpwvsCVTl99OeEh0ob2fyvm7cMSkxWK1E_fXGVbepbvoR9Qc4fVc-xg/s1600/Monday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqk075q6qlGtKgV-jBBaRmFc4f-kAhU-wWfQpqE9cqkqGrAsgaK5UoQtDb3QBXHotDHF57HRUMyWnrwzbh4qXRpwvsCVTl99OeEh0ob2fyvm7cMSkxWK1E_fXGVbepbvoR9Qc4fVc-xg/s1600/Monday.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Wow,
80 degrees here yesterday and today - we seemed to have gone from snow
and winter right to summer and skipped the nice part where it's in the
50's and 60's entirely!<br />
<br />
I had another very busy week
(are there any other kinds?) but managed to do quite a bit of
writing...but not book reviews. So, I hope to catch up on those this
week.<br />
<br />
We enjoyed our books last week:<br />
<ul>
<li>I finished <b>Silver Linings Playbook</b>
by Matthew Quick and loved it! The movie was great, but the book is
even better, with more emotional depth. It is filled with both joy and
heartbreak. Not everyone in my library's book discussion agreed - some
didn't like the book. Unfortunately, I used up all of my limited energy
going to book groups on Wednesday (that one and my neighborhood one in
the evening), so I didn't feel well enough to go and hear Quick speak
Thursday evening. I was sorry to miss that, but I watched a few videos
of him on Youtube - it's hard to find interviews and videos specifically
about the book - most are about the movie!</li>
<li>After plowing through three book group books in a row, I was ready to enjoy a teen/YA novel, so I picked up <b>Out of the Easy</b> by Ruta Sepetys, a Christmas gift from my husband. I was blown away by her first novel, <i>Between Shades of Gray</i>, and this one is set in New Orleans, where we used to live, so I am loving it so far.</li>
<li>I also started a new teen/YA novel on audio, <b>Loud Awake and Lost</b>
by Adele Griffin. It's excellent so far, about a teen girl recovering
from an accident and slowly regaining her memory of what happened in the
six weeks before. I'm hooked!</li>
<li>I am still reading a nonfiction book, <b>Time Management from the</b> <b>Inside Out: The Foolproof System for Taking Control of Your Schedule - and Your Life</b>
by Julie Morganstern. I had to return the library's copy, but I ordered
my own (updated version) with an amazon gift card from Christmas. I am
currently following its advice, trying to get better at estimating how
long tasks will take me (something I am finding I'm not very good at!).</li>
<li>My husband, Ken, has been reading <b>Brilliance</b>, a suspense novel, by Marcus Sakey on his Kindle.</li>
<li>My
son, Jamie, 19, returned to school from spring break, so his reading
slowed down a little bit, but now that he has the reading bug again, he's trying to keep it up! He read book 2, <b>The Lost Heiress</b>, of Catherine Fisher's <i>The Relic Master</i> series<b>.</b></li>
<li>Now he is reading <b>The Killing Moon</b> by N.K. Jemison, a book I gave him as a gift last year, recommended by a fellow book blogger!</li>
<li>Craig, 15, is still reading <b>MacBeth</b> for Brit Lit.</li>
</ul>
No
blog posts at all last week, other than the Monday posts - I really
wasn't exaggerating about having no time for book reviews! Look for some
reviews this week, plus other goodies.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">What are you and your family reading this week? </span></span></span></b>
<br />
<br />
<b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Sheila at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a>, with a kid/teen version hosted by <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-56294789801914080392014-04-07T10:29:00.000-04:002014-04-07T10:29:01.505-04:00It's Monday 4/7! What Are You Reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciWypE0poIM2YU1ClbeFiYFZH2sp0_b8H6vGPpyBn_1bDlwzqrcjSJA4Ofa_WNzqQab71f9PCVzXbsIxQ0zW8Dwn8dRF92nCZ1ECPuZOVMHr1ZrwwX2F6aowDWojeUdEkvQ9sDrbDFyU/s1600/Monday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciWypE0poIM2YU1ClbeFiYFZH2sp0_b8H6vGPpyBn_1bDlwzqrcjSJA4Ofa_WNzqQab71f9PCVzXbsIxQ0zW8Dwn8dRF92nCZ1ECPuZOVMHr1ZrwwX2F6aowDWojeUdEkvQ9sDrbDFyU/s1600/Monday.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Ah,
Monday morning...quiet house and no one to take care of but myself for a
few hours. I started the day off kind of oddly...I cleaned out my sock
drawer! Maybe an unusual way to start the day, but it gave me a big
motivational boost. I have been feeling pretty overwhelmed lately, and I
know that the clutter in the house is part of the problem. My college
son went back to school yesterday after a week at home for spring break,
and the sudden disappearance of all his stuff all over the first floor
(he never really unpacked - just sort of dumped everything on the
floor!) inspired me to take a tiny step in the huge job of decluttering.
So, I am feeling pretty proud of myself, with a big bag of stuff to
throw away, a smaller bag to donate, and a sock drawer that now closes
without excess effort. My life is better already!<br />
<br />
We did a lot of reading last week, especially my son who celebrated his break with books:<br />
<ul>
<li>I finished <b>The Unbearable Lightness of Being</b>
by Milan Kundera. I'm still not sure how I feel about this modern
classic novel - it was strange. It's a mixture of philosophy, politics,
literature, and sex, all rolled into a rambling narrative that often
left me saying, "Wait...what??" It will definitely be an interesting
book group discussion on Wednesday!</li>
<li>Yesterday, I moved onto <b>Silver Linings Playbook</b>
by Matthew Quick, a novel I have really been looking forward to
reading. I doubt I will finish it in time for the discussion at the
library Wednesday, but I do hope to go listen to the author on Thursday
evening. This is our all-county read book for this spring.</li>
<li>I finished listening to <b>The Carpet People</b>
by Terry Pratchett, a clever fantasy novel written by the famous,
knighted author when he was only 17 years old! It was a lot of fun.</li>
<li>I have also been (slowly) making my way through a nonfiction book, <b>Time Management from the</b> <b>Inside Out: The Foolproof System for Taking Control of Your Schedule - and Your Life</b>
by Julie Morganstern. I had to return my copy to the library, but I was
getting enough out of it that I ordered my own, updated copy last week.
The sock drawer is just the beginning!</li>
<li>My husband, Ken, was away last week and reading <b>Brilliance</b>, a suspense novel, by Marcus Sakey on his Kindle.</li>
<li>Jamie,
19, went on a reading binge for his spring break! He read five books
since last Monday (plus another few last weekend). First, he tackled one
of his favorite series, <i>Beyonders</i> by Brandon Mull. He quickly re-read book 2, <b>Seeds of Rebellion</b>, and then read the latest release (and the last book of the trilogy), <b>Chasing the Prophecy</b>. He reaffirmed that it remains an all-time favorite!</li>
<li>Next, he re-read a favorite on his Kindle, <b>The Sorcerer's Ascension</b> by Brock E. Deskin, Book 1 in The Sorcerer's Path series.</li>
<li>Mid-week,
he hit Barnes & Noble with some friends, armed with several gift
cards. One of the books he bought - and immediately read - was <b>Falling Kingdoms</b> by Morgan Rhodes. He enjoyed it and is looking forward to reading the rest of the series.</li>
<li>Finally, he re-read <b>The Dark City</b>, Book 1 in Catherine Fisher's <i>Relic Master</i> series. Next he plans to re-read Book 2, <b>The Lost Heiress</b>,
and then turn in some Amazon or Target gift cards for book 3. I love
that he ditched plans to buy a video game with the gift card and now
wants to spend it all on books!</li>
<li>Craig, 15, is still reading <b>MacBeth</b> for his Brit Lit class. He got 95% on his first quiz, so I think it's going pretty well.</li>
</ul>
Despite having a very busy week, I managed a few blog posts:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/04/fiction-review-amazing-adventures-of.html">Review of <b>The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay</b></a> by Michael Chabon, a novel about friendship.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/04/teenya-review-monsters-of-men.html">Review of <b>Monsters of Men</b></a>, Book 3 in Patrick Ness' incredible teen/YA <i>Chaos Walking</i> trilogy.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/04/snapshot-saturday-45.html">Saturday Snapshot</a>, with photos of last week's trip to St. Michaels, MD<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/04/weekend-cooking-46.html">Weekend Cooking</a> post, with some tasty dinner ideas.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">What are you and your family reading this week? </span></span></span></b>
<br />
<br />
<b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Sheila at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a>, with a kid/teen version hosted by <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-35979233989293583312014-04-04T18:37:00.001-04:002014-04-04T18:37:44.140-04:00Teen/YA review: Monsters of Men<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyszC1MeGCXztZ1PzFwtBFQlPP5yQdR860R7rMbTzv3TwdGVj3euDAO3tyuiy6VijeYavhI_fQQ6tCWuK_2CWRWL7kpd8tmcH2t4E60B5krw-WT-ZAs9S-vqGE720DC5jknWm52n9jmqs/s1600/MonstersofMen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyszC1MeGCXztZ1PzFwtBFQlPP5yQdR860R7rMbTzv3TwdGVj3euDAO3tyuiy6VijeYavhI_fQQ6tCWuK_2CWRWL7kpd8tmcH2t4E60B5krw-WT-ZAs9S-vqGE720DC5jknWm52n9jmqs/s1600/MonstersofMen.jpg" height="200" width="122" /></a></div>
I finished book 3 of the <i>Chaos Walking</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> series, <b>Monsters of Men</b></span> by Patrick
Ness, back in December. I considered just skipping the review, since I had
already reviewed book 1, <a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2013/08/teenya-review-knife-of-never-letting-go.html"><i>The Knife of Never Letting Go</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;">, and book 2, </span><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2013/08/teenya-review-ask-and-answer.html"><i>The Ask and the Answer</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;">. Even though it took me a few months to find the
time, I still want to review this third and final book of the trilogy because I
found it so compelling and thought-provoking. So, I promise a short review with
no spoilers…and if you’ve already read this novel, please leave your thoughts
in the comments section because I am dying to discuss it!</span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The <i>Chaos Walking</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
trilogy begins in an unknown time and place where everyone can hear everyone
else’s thoughts (the never-ending internal cacophony is known as Noise). In
books 1 and 2, some details are slowly revealed about how and why this society
developed. In this third book, Todd and Viola are back (two very endearing and
strong – though young - main characters).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This final book is all about war, as you may have guessed from the
title. The evil Mayor Prentiss is still seeking as much power as he can take, a
group of rebels is using more and more violent methods to stop him, and a third
party, the Spackle, are joining in the battle (you’ll have to read books 1 and
2 to learn more about them). Against this backdrop, the ever-present Noise
continues, as Todd and Viola move toward adulthood and have to make decisions
that could affect the future of all of their fellow citizens.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like the first two books, book 3 is action-packed, filled
with violence, battles, and increasing horrors. But this trilogy is so much
more than action/adventure in a mysterious dystopian/science fiction
environment. Ness fills the series – and especially this final book – with thoughtful
and thought-provoking complications. In this case, both Todd and Viola are
constantly facing serious, life-changing decisions with deep moral
implications. They wrestle with issues that have plagued mankind for centuries:
Does the end justify the means? Is violence for the right reasons any better
than violence for the wrong reasons? If you choose the lesser of two evils, is
it still evil?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The backdrop of war makes all of these issues very real and
imperative for the two young heroes. Through it all is the constant stress and
chaos of the Noise echoing in everyone’s heads. Like in the best dystopian
fiction and science fiction, the author makes us think about our own society.
Ness certainly wants us to consider the moral implications of both war and
terrorism, and I think the Noise is a symbol of what’s occurring in our own
world right now – the ever-present, nonstop flow of information from multiple
sources every moment of every day. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I highly recommend this series to teens, young adults, and
adults of all ages. It is a fast-paced, interesting, compelling story that is
also thoughtful. This is my favorite kind of dystopian fiction – the kind that
gives you insight into our own society and makes you think – in a similar vein
as <a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2009/06/teenya-review-hunger-games.html"><i>The Hunger Games</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;"> trilogy (especially book 3, <a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2010/09/teenya-review-mockingjay.html"><i>Mockingjay</i></a>, which also focuses on war) and the </span><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2010/11/teenya-review-unwind.html"><i>Unwind</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;"> series. I can’t wait to read more from Patrick Ness.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">603
pages, Candlewick Press</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&Operation=GetAdHtml&ID=OneJS&OneJS=1&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=wwwsuzanjacks-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0763656658&asins=0763656658&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&MarketPlace=US" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br></iframe> </span>
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-47159142370048688412014-03-31T10:37:00.000-04:002014-03-31T10:37:13.840-04:00It's Monday 3/31! What Are You Reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKceCW2zRJ-7RXmgC9D2DjIjNqgmNEtRSIrbWec0hrlQIf4-d0gILKgmHkUZXxTj7qH8PUnd-s8d9wmhh_qhZCI9BS-GY9Y9grb_P0mux4X9K2Unnaop7v9MAzZiSKxj4CjNe_3eSw0Wc/s1600/Monday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKceCW2zRJ-7RXmgC9D2DjIjNqgmNEtRSIrbWec0hrlQIf4-d0gILKgmHkUZXxTj7qH8PUnd-s8d9wmhh_qhZCI9BS-GY9Y9grb_P0mux4X9K2Unnaop7v9MAzZiSKxj4CjNe_3eSw0Wc/s1600/Monday.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Wow,
how can it possibly be the last day of March already? I am more than
ready for April, since we've had such a long and hard winter, but the
month just went by very quickly. This past weekend was our only 48 hours
alone together as a family until summer, so we drove about two hours
away, to a St. Michael's, a lovely town on Maryland's Eastern Shore, and
stayed at a beautiful inn out on a point surrounded by water.
Unfortunately, it was dark, cold, windy, and pouring rain all
weekend....AND my youngest son had bronchitis and a sinus infection and
felt awful on Saturday! Not quite the getaway we'd pictured, but we
still had a nice weekend and spent some time together as a family - we
had some delicious meals, watched a movie in our room, and played cards
(with lots of laughs!).<br />
<br />
And, as always, we read a lot:<br />
<ul>
<li>I finished <b>Gap Creek</b>
by Robert Morgan for my online family book group. It's a bit depressing
at times, but overall, I enjoyed this novel about a hard life on an
isolated farm in the Carolina mountains at the turn of the century.</li>
<li>Next, I started another book group selection, <b>The Unbearable Lightness of Being</b>
by Milan Kundera, a modern classic novel that was made into a popular
1988 movie. It's an unusual novel - very philosophical so far, about
life and love.</li>
<li>I have also been (slowly) making my way through another nonfiction book, <b>Time Management from the</b> <b>Inside Out: The Foolproof System for Taking Control of Your Schedule -and Your Life</b> by Julie Morganstern. Yes, I am still on a quest to get better at time management!</li>
<li>I started a new audio book, <b>The Carpet People</b>
by Terry Pratchett. Its history is interesting - the famous author (who
has now written over 40 books) wrote this novel when he was only 17
years old! He revised it recently so that it could be re-released.</li>
<li>My husband, Ken, finished <b>Unsouled</b> by Neal Schusterman, the book that was supposed to be the final one in the <i>Unwind</i>
trilogy, but is now book 3 of 4. Apparently, Schusterman just can't let
go of this story - and neither can his fans. My son and I can't wait to
read this one.</li>
<li>Ken is now traveling for the week and reading <b>Brilliance</b>, a suspense novel, by Marcus Sakey on his Kindle.</li>
<li>Jamie, 19, has been on a reading streak lately!
He is now on spring break for a week and has been reading like crazy.
He told us he downloaded 26 free books to his Kindle last week! He
already read two of them last week: <b>The Last King's Amulet</b> by Chris Northern (book one in <i>The Price of Freedom </i>series) and <b>The Choosing</b> by Jeremy Laszlo, book one of <i>The Blood and Brotherhood Saga</i> (Jamie has figured out that publishers often offer the first book in a series free as e-books!). He said both books were good.</li>
<li>Now, he's gone back to an old favorite series, <i>Beyonders</i> by Brandon Mull. Book three was just released, so he is re-reading book two, <b>Seeds of Rebellion,</b> before moving onto the new book.</li>
</ul>
I didn't have much time for blogging last week, so I just posted two reviews:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/03/nonfiction-review-168-hours-you-have.html">Review of <b>168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think</b></a> by Laura Vanderkam<br />
<br />
<a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/03/middle-grade-review-last-present.html">Review of <b>The Last Present</b></a>, a middle-grade novel by Wendy Mass<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">What are you and your family reading this week? </span></span></span></b>
<br />
<br />
<b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Sheila at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a>, with a kid/teen version hosted by <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-2254919116682093132014-03-27T16:06:00.000-04:002014-03-27T16:06:54.899-04:00Middle-Grade Review: The Last Present<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqpImGRVROGrdYzi2DCzBZUhcNKvCvva3xdVIqqKCVg2tMuPe70xpT6EnX-DnepaeWj_Vn2Tucq9PA9L_N5zHCU-wSva3I88x85CM5ew_R8opNAsWzc5GBdttPvxiPRJcNmo68ok2YlA/s1600/LastPresent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqpImGRVROGrdYzi2DCzBZUhcNKvCvva3xdVIqqKCVg2tMuPe70xpT6EnX-DnepaeWj_Vn2Tucq9PA9L_N5zHCU-wSva3I88x85CM5ew_R8opNAsWzc5GBdttPvxiPRJcNmo68ok2YlA/s1600/LastPresent.jpg" height="200" width="145" /></a></div>
When I started Wendy Mass’s middle-grade novel <b>The Last
Present</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">, I didn’t realize it was the last
book in a series that I hadn’t completely read! But I did read the first book
in the series, <a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2009/02/middle-grade-fiction-11-birthdays.html"><i>11 Birthdays</i></a></span>, a few years ago and enjoyed it.
Despite missing out on some of what happened in the middle, I enjoyed this
final novel in the popular middle-grade series set in the fictional town of
Willow Falls.
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Amanda and Leo, the main characters from <i>11 Birthdays</i><span style="font-style: normal;">, are now 13 years old, and their lives have
continued to be affected by the magical events described in that book. At the
start of the book, they are enjoying their friend David’s bar mitzvah when they
need to rush to the hospital because the little sister of another friend,
Connor, has suddenly become paralyzed. As Grace lies in her frozen state, her
family and friends gather around her hospital bed. Amanda and Leo are certain
that Angelina, the mysterious and ancient woman in town who caused their
experiences two years ago, is somehow behind what’s happened to Grace…and they
are right!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It turns out that only Amanda and Leo can save Grace, by
going back in time to each of Grace’s birthdays, trying to make a small change
there that will change her future for the better. They enlist the help of their
friends, including Rory and Tara who were featured in books two and three. To
say much more would ruin the considerable surprises in store for readers!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It seems that the two books I missed each feature a
different character – Rory in one and Tara in the other – and revolve around
other strange affairs involving Angelina. It would have been better if I’d read
those two books, but I was still able to enjoy this fourth book (though I
wouldn’t recommend reading this one without at least reading the first book).
Although this sort of magical realism isn’t always my favorite kind of story, I
enjoyed the two books I read in this series, possibly because time travel is a
favorite plot device of mine! Mass is a talented writer, weaving together a
realistic story of friendship (and young love as well!) with a magical plot.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">246
pages, Scholastic</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&Operation=GetAdHtml&ID=OneJS&OneJS=1&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=wwwsuzanjacks-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0545310164&asins=0545310164&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&MarketPlace=US" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br></iframe> </span>
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-56531021796840824152014-03-24T10:13:00.000-04:002014-03-24T10:13:30.677-04:00It's Monday 3/24! What Are You Reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nl69m0jeKY6hycaqAbPzeEevTqwK4oYUCC_Y38ewLyvPUiNqwq4dOUMoHSB5F9iX6XbQMAyq3D-6aYTThM6Yv5-mtRDSa-VFSDlhvcLcs3fu_F8Xz0YL9fJrLybNQSRBYbVfohyeaSk/s1600/Monday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nl69m0jeKY6hycaqAbPzeEevTqwK4oYUCC_Y38ewLyvPUiNqwq4dOUMoHSB5F9iX6XbQMAyq3D-6aYTThM6Yv5-mtRDSa-VFSDlhvcLcs3fu_F8Xz0YL9fJrLybNQSRBYbVfohyeaSk/s1600/Monday.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
So
glad it is Monday - the weekend really wiped me out! Pretty sad when
you need to recover from your weekend, huh? And not because I had a wild
fun time - just because I did too much around the house, with cooking,
dishes, laundry, etc. I really need to fix that and add a little fun
into my Sundays!<br />
<br />
I did manage a 2-day "me retreat" last
week at the beach, with plenty of reading and some writing catch-up,
too. We all enjoyed our books last week:<br />
<ul>
<li>I finally finished <b>The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay</b>
by Michael Chabon and loved every one of its 600+ pages! The characters
and the time and place really pulled me in, and I was sad to say
good-bye to Joe Kavalier and Sam Clay.</li>
<li>Next, while I was away, I squeezed in a quick middle-grade novel, <b>The Last Present</b>
by Wendy Mass. It turned out to be the last book in a 4-book series,
and I only read the first one. So, I obviously missed some of the
references to earlier events, but I knew enough to enjoy the book - Mass
is an excellent writer for middle-grade readers, and it's a time travel
story (my favorite kind!).</li>
<li>I recently started <b>Gap Creek</b> by Robert Morgan, the next selection for my online family book group. It's set in the rural Appalachians around the turn of the century, about a young girl who gets married and struggles to set up her own household in an isolated place.</li>
<li>On the way home from the beach, I finished listening to <b>Allegiant</b> by Veronica Roth, the final book in the <i>Divergent</i> trilogy. I <a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/03/teenya-review-insurgent-and-allegiant.html">reviewed</a> it (and the second book, <b>Insurgent</b>) when I got home. The third book was my favorite - now I have to go see the new movie!</li>
<li>My husband, Ken, is reading <b>Unsouled</b>, the third book in the teen/YA <i>Unwind</i> series by Neal Schusterman, which he, our college son, and I all love. He's enjoying it so far - I can't wait to read it next!</li>
<li>Jamie, 19, finished the Medieval fantasy series he was reading, <i>The Staff and the Sword</i>, by Patrick W. Carr. He finished reading book two, <b>The Hero's Lot</b>, and book 3, <b>A Draw of Kings</b>.</li>
<li>Craig, 15, is reading <b>MacBeth</b> by Shakespeare for his Brit Lit class and said he did really well on last week's quiz!</li>
</ul>
I wrote a couple of reviews last week, plus other posts:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/03/fiction-review-good-sister.html">Review of <b>The Good Sister</b></a> by Wendy Corsi Staub, a thriller I listened to on audio.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/03/teenya-review-insurgent-and-allegiant.html">Review of <b>Insurgent</b> and <b>Allegiant</b></a> by Veronica Roth, also listened to on audio.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/03/snapshot-saturday-322.html">Saturday Snapshot</a>, with photos of my (cold) beach visit last week. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/03/weekend-cooking-323.html">Weekend Cooking</a> post, with several very tasty recipes, adaptable for a Paleo diet (or not)</blockquote>
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">What are you and your family reading this week? </span></span></span></b>
<br />
<br />
<b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Sheila at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a>, with a kid/teen version hosted by <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-34168189493269861992014-03-21T13:17:00.000-04:002014-03-21T18:42:33.954-04:00Teen/YA Review: Insurgent and AllegiantOver the past two months, I listened to both <b>Insurgent</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> (book 2) and </span><b>Allegiant</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> (book 3), the sequels to Veronica Roth’s hot
post-apocalyptic/dystopian trilogy that began with <a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2012/01/teenya-review-divergent.html"><i>Divergent</i></a></span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have somehow missed this popular
trilogy (been living in a cave maybe?), then you should go back and read the
<a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2012/01/teenya-review-divergent.html">review of <i>Divergent</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2012/01/teenya-review-divergent.html"> </a>(no spoilers there
or in this review) and start there.</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As <b>Insurgent</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> opens,
Tris and her friends are still reeling from the violence and loss that ended
book one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The city of Chicago
erupted into chaos as conflict arose between the five different factions. Now
it seems that war is the only possible outcome. Tris and each of her friends
must decide where their loyalty stands and which ideology and leader they each
agree with. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This follow-up novel is all about conflicts and choices.
Many secrets emerge that were not obvious in the seemingly peaceful world at
the beginning of <i>Divergent</i><span style="font-style: normal;">. As more and
more secrets are revealed, Tris must make more choices – about who to believe,
who to follow, and what is right. Making matters worse, she is haunted by both
grief and guilt throughout this second novel, from events that occurred in book
one. Through it all, with Tobias by her side, she must also consider what it
means to be divergent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the final book of the trilogy, <b>Allegiant</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">, the action moves beyond the city’s boundaries, as
Tris and her companions venture outside the fence to learn more about their
society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this book, the
chapters alternate between Tris and Tobias, so for the first time, we get a
glimpse into Tobias’ perspective. Conflict continues in Chicago between those
who believe in the faction-approach they know and those who believe in a
factionless society, as an all-out war seems inevitable. Outside of the fence,
Tris and the others learn a lot of surprising truths about their own family
histories, the rest of the world, and how the faction-divided society began.
The question is, what is its future?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although I enjoyed <i>Divergent</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> and <b>Insurgent</b></span>, <b>Allegiant</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> was by far my favorite book of the series. The first two books were a
bit too violent for my taste, without any real explanation of how this unusual
society came to be. That explanation is finally revealed in book three, which
made it far more interesting for me. My favorite aspect of dystopian novels is
seeing how the author takes elements of our own society and shows how those
were taken to an extreme to end up with the dystopian society. I like the
thoughtfulness and thought-provoking nature of that kind of story, which I
finally got in </span><b>Allegiant</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">. For
me, that brought the series up closer to the level of <a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2009/06/teenya-review-hunger-games.html"><i>The Hunger Games</i></a></span>
trilogy or the <a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2010/11/teenya-review-unwind.html"><i>Unwind</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;"> series.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All in all, I am glad I stuck with it and read/listened to
the entire trilogy. The audio books were all very well done, with talented
voice actors (including two different narrators for Tris and Tobias in the
final book). I tried listening to <b>Insurgent</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> on audio with my family last summer, but my son and husband both lost
interest because it had been too long since we’d all read <i>Divergent</i></span>.
And that’s an important point with this series: because of the number of
characters and the complicated plot, it is best to read each book immediately
after the previous one. It’s far more enjoyable that way, and you’ll save
yourself a lot of time going back and asking, “Wait a minute, who was that?” I
am glad I finally had a chance to listen to the entire series…and now my
husband has been inspired to go back and listen to it all, too. The movie
adaptation of <i>Divergent</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> opens today – I
can’t wait to see it on the big screen!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
HarperAudio<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&Operation=GetAdHtml&ID=OneJS&OneJS=1&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=wwwsuzanjacks-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0062286471&asins=0062286471&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&MarketPlace=US" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&Operation=GetAdHtml&ID=OneJS&OneJS=1&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=wwwsuzanjacks-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=006228648X&asins=006228648X&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&MarketPlace=US" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br></iframe> </div>
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-86268170779311525182014-03-17T10:31:00.001-04:002014-03-17T10:31:24.275-04:00It's Monday 3/17! What Are You Reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTA6QtyhbLCDLD1jc7hfCTa9t4bTpaE8iKWKq_O5hClBeabt3OEdVCOLw6J8vc_O2zSychPuYdAkqt0enbuYx9S_tJ1oS-ixZSC1ZnWEW6WWpBZG6729TCyASI1Oez06hkRyYUPZ38wVk/s1600/Monday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTA6QtyhbLCDLD1jc7hfCTa9t4bTpaE8iKWKq_O5hClBeabt3OEdVCOLw6J8vc_O2zSychPuYdAkqt0enbuYx9S_tJ1oS-ixZSC1ZnWEW6WWpBZG6729TCyASI1Oez06hkRyYUPZ38wVk/s1600/Monday.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Happy St. Patrick's Day!!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
When
I was in college, St. Patrick's Day was pretty much the biggest holiday
of the year (with a big emphasis on green beer, of course), so it is
still near and dear to my heart, even though I can no longer drink...or
stay up late! I am wearing green, though, plus a lovely green nail
polish (Minty Sprint!), and we had our big corned beef dinner last night
when my college son was home, with plenty of leftovers for today. If
you are looking for a really great corned beef recipe for today (or some
other easy and tasty meal ideas), check out my <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/03/weekend-cooking-316.html">Weekend Cooking post</a> from yesterday.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And
now, it is snowing again here today...sigh...yet another day with
school cancelled! On the positive side, I have planned a little writing
retreat for myself this week and am headed to the beach for a couple of
quiet days to myself at a friend's condo. I am very much looking forward
to the writing time and plenty of reading time, too!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Meanwhile, we have all enjoyed our books this week:</div>
<ul>
<li>I am still reading <b>The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay</b>
by Michael Chabon, even though we had our book discussion on it last
week. I am down to the last 50 pages or so (it's over 600 pages!). I was
surprised to find that some people didn't like it because I love it
more the more I read. These two characters and their story really pulled
me in and grabbed me. I can't wait to find out what happens next but
also don't want it to end!</li>
<li>I am also still listening to <b>Allegiant</b> by Veronica Roth,
the third and final book in the Divergent trilogy. I like this one
better than I liked the first two because it is delving into <i>why</i> this post-apocalyptic world is the way it is, so I am finding the story much more interesting and thought-provoking, more along the lines of <i>Hunger Games</i> or the <i>Unwind</i> series.</li>
<li>My husband, Ken, read <b>The Drop</b> by Michael Connelly this week and enjoyed it - he and I have always liked Connelly's novels.</li>
<li>Now Ken is reading <b>Unsouled</b>, the third book in the teen/YA <i>Unwind</i>
trilogy by Neal Schusterman, which he, our college son, and I all love.
This dystopian series is absolutely chilling because it is based on
elements of our own current society taken to an extreme.</li>
<li>Jamie, 19, started a new Medieval fantasy series (his favorite kind of book), <i>The Staff and the Sword</i> by Patrick W. Carr. Last week, he read book one, <b>A Cast of Stones</b>, on his Kindle, and he is now reading book two, <b>The Hero's Lot</b>.
He mentioned to me yesterday that getting sick the previous week
(bronchitis) reminded him of how much he enjoys reading, so he's trying
to read more, even while he's at school. That's my boy.</li>
</ul>
I tried to catch up a bit last week on my book blogs, so I posted:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/03/fiction-review-unfinished-work-of.html">Review of </a><b><a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/03/fiction-review-unfinished-work-of.html">The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D.</a> </b>by Nichole Bernier, a wonderful novel.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/03/teenya-review-thin-space.html">Review of <b>Thin Space</b></a> by Jody Casella, a teen/YA realistic novel with a supernatural twist.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/03/books-read-in-february.html">Summary of <b>Books Read in February</b></a> and Challenge Progress.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/03/weekend-cooking-316.html">Weekend Cooking</a>, including easy and tasty weeknight dinners plus my favorite Corned Beef recipe. </blockquote>
<b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">What are you and your family reading this week? </span></span></span></b>
<br />
<br />
<b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Sheila at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a>, with a kid/teen version hosted by <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-88342516184413101982014-03-13T18:37:00.002-04:002014-03-13T18:37:29.155-04:00Books Read in February<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKD7RDagpMkwFdcMcUq5_U03irUP4Tc84VncH2R0oRCOrk-V7i1ONZNztynPhyzJb2rkypzlNLVz3Et1g10IbCURAGFoABIxsNpz6s0EwTZVxvIviysLk6Dn3u0IYN22wcHW_B0OYQvWs/s1600/IMG_1674.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKD7RDagpMkwFdcMcUq5_U03irUP4Tc84VncH2R0oRCOrk-V7i1ONZNztynPhyzJb2rkypzlNLVz3Et1g10IbCURAGFoABIxsNpz6s0EwTZVxvIviysLk6Dn3u0IYN22wcHW_B0OYQvWs/s1600/IMG_1674.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yet another snow storm...will this winter ever end?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Yes,
yes, I am late again with my monthly summary. This year got off to a
rough start, so I seem to be constantly playing catch-up. But here it
is, finally - my February summary! It was actually an excellent reading
month, both in quantity and quality, in spite of being such a short
month. Here's all that I finished last month:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/02/fiction-review-molokai.html"><b>Moloka'i </b></a>by Alan Brennert, historical fiction (Hawaii)</li>
<li><a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/02/fiction-review-marriage-plot.html"><b>The Marriage Plot</b></a> by Jeffrey Eugenides, literary fiction (Rhode Island)</li>
<li><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/03/teenya-review-thin-space.html"><b>Thin Spac</b>e</a> by Jody Casella, a teen/YA novel (Massachusetts) </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggciEs8VglJJwXjLPZLk6uTvusjzj4NPaFdLMdBNI1o72LhfZu85qi-VdYVIj0yODl9CtX3yCw_uY0kR1uXAuUy62bhgc-3OAIpQqg7b3CI-ocN4CeqKo1BDpI6ILpl5tFWZ5IRm9_uVs/s1600/Molokai.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggciEs8VglJJwXjLPZLk6uTvusjzj4NPaFdLMdBNI1o72LhfZu85qi-VdYVIj0yODl9CtX3yCw_uY0kR1uXAuUy62bhgc-3OAIpQqg7b3CI-ocN4CeqKo1BDpI6ILpl5tFWZ5IRm9_uVs/s1600/Molokai.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBl1gbtH3Duxlb0ce4KtX2V3s7dpkCj73aO9_70r-3vy7bm1DbcXjLY4heEcJPCQXmmyLgfRAV_ZgB9lrhEvs29z6HtAHzWs-_6ktDiYUfQfr2vx0FJ08b0COXO9elnL3gDXUR4Djdns/s1600/thin+space.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBl1gbtH3Duxlb0ce4KtX2V3s7dpkCj73aO9_70r-3vy7bm1DbcXjLY4heEcJPCQXmmyLgfRAV_ZgB9lrhEvs29z6HtAHzWs-_6ktDiYUfQfr2vx0FJ08b0COXO9elnL3gDXUR4Djdns/s1600/thin+space.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfmFFvlbAyJGqQRLvItjZlWqau0t4h0bsOx-lX7guIGQNVz_caXB72WH-k5-tFyTsYGS24hVxgB1ZeT-K0XMoUav5dTiFcbEwVBnpl5pnC5J4fwQLELxBpjThNp04k8tlCeAP_MPQZjw/s1600/MarriagePlot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfmFFvlbAyJGqQRLvItjZlWqau0t4h0bsOx-lX7guIGQNVz_caXB72WH-k5-tFyTsYGS24hVxgB1ZeT-K0XMoUav5dTiFcbEwVBnpl5pnC5J4fwQLELxBpjThNp04k8tlCeAP_MPQZjw/s1600/MarriagePlot.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>The Good Sister</b> by Wendy Corsi Staub, a thriller on audio (New York)</li>
<li><a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/03/fiction-review-unfinished-work-of.html"><b>The Unfinished Life of Elizabeth D.</b></a> by Nichole Bernier, fiction (Massachusetts)</li>
<li><b>168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think</b> by Laura Vanderkam, nonfiction </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEGrxcrW2PfyT_6I5OjT3DO6hdDNO5ISnoYpf7paxzGlH36vtXcqgxeeqecz9yLBYXZK-ozB24MpKBhZGHshNMWEOZC152c08_KYcGB6HKkOMJotzHrTnwBvs973Lgxe_eLcL3uRHcKk/s1600/168+Hours.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEGrxcrW2PfyT_6I5OjT3DO6hdDNO5ISnoYpf7paxzGlH36vtXcqgxeeqecz9yLBYXZK-ozB24MpKBhZGHshNMWEOZC152c08_KYcGB6HKkOMJotzHrTnwBvs973Lgxe_eLcL3uRHcKk/s1600/168+Hours.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KIJH1dWMO_s3eq8nASWXmjiIqfoy7uLfWzYMBuqj3bSXiaCU7whR5O9EgzO_NNnaQOMV6hu1AIPX44_FjjEtuHl57E1IPmy9kdZIeFYvyu1kD8FmXblzlg5ZjOTxT5cVgECSQo5qy-4/s1600/Good+Sister.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KIJH1dWMO_s3eq8nASWXmjiIqfoy7uLfWzYMBuqj3bSXiaCU7whR5O9EgzO_NNnaQOMV6hu1AIPX44_FjjEtuHl57E1IPmy9kdZIeFYvyu1kD8FmXblzlg5ZjOTxT5cVgECSQo5qy-4/s1600/Good+Sister.jpg" height="200" width="123" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzaVTvXIlZPujLwfA5Y50wSrQ_8W0RGQy_IzBARQ1soFX5ut92AE4CT1O4i-pyGUyBfSxZRGi_23yfHFtSFOs_LUfCZq2lKxrPjBt1elUvods7fxQSLVj1QbnrWcJppcMsKNncoplMfc/s1600/elizabethD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzaVTvXIlZPujLwfA5Y50wSrQ_8W0RGQy_IzBARQ1soFX5ut92AE4CT1O4i-pyGUyBfSxZRGi_23yfHFtSFOs_LUfCZq2lKxrPjBt1elUvods7fxQSLVj1QbnrWcJppcMsKNncoplMfc/s1600/elizabethD.jpg" height="200" width="129" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/02/middle-grade-review-flora-ulysses_27.html">Flora & Ulysses</a> </b>by Kate DiCamillo, middle-grade audio <b><br /></b></li>
<li><b>Insurgent</b> by Veronica Roth, teen/YA audio (Illinois)</li>
<li><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/03/middle-grade-review-zane-and-hurricane.html"><b>Zane and the Hurricane</b></a> by Rodman Philbrick, middle-grade fiction (Louisiana)</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik4VSGMmaxjOdAqMvtJUkDROftW251TXxaxPvZwa0Mx3zosnToJWHjqyyjin64lQUXb0elS-O8SLmjdai06bgNEF0o20vQ_HY-7xXr2nw_sN51NTlx5L9-Fkg5XtK0PgIQ0MVt1fOS_G4/s1600/Flora&Ulysses.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik4VSGMmaxjOdAqMvtJUkDROftW251TXxaxPvZwa0Mx3zosnToJWHjqyyjin64lQUXb0elS-O8SLmjdai06bgNEF0o20vQ_HY-7xXr2nw_sN51NTlx5L9-Fkg5XtK0PgIQ0MVt1fOS_G4/s1600/Flora&Ulysses.jpg" height="200" width="148" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tMgBXQ7IZAyvMxsz-aud9p6CH2ohSy1WB62le9r4HjjP77NkbwhGasykmQDTQCAHnFk244h_m6WDZeymLfwUpz7ARUqe93bdzr6Gshq19Hh4Vf40x170TNh_R6VAG3fpibfGHR0-41I/s1600/zane.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tMgBXQ7IZAyvMxsz-aud9p6CH2ohSy1WB62le9r4HjjP77NkbwhGasykmQDTQCAHnFk244h_m6WDZeymLfwUpz7ARUqe93bdzr6Gshq19Hh4Vf40x170TNh_R6VAG3fpibfGHR0-41I/s1600/zane.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvqcQ6MeigxIIZ3EMAjlIRLlvtg-scYLozipTN6DrVGQytnL7lXWLoA-ryj9eNxHwvHh9sqDAhNbDY5N_rU1wpF9tNPzVDlEJgh4sIKQgSfGT1cHv-4VDKJr_apa_nJdOJc910euRzhA/s1600/insurgent.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvqcQ6MeigxIIZ3EMAjlIRLlvtg-scYLozipTN6DrVGQytnL7lXWLoA-ryj9eNxHwvHh9sqDAhNbDY5N_rU1wpF9tNPzVDlEJgh4sIKQgSfGT1cHv-4VDKJr_apa_nJdOJc910euRzhA/s1600/insurgent.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Can you believe it? I finished 9 books in February! To be fair, I started a couple of them
in January - in fact, ironically, the time management book took me a
full two months to finish (I guess I really don't have more time than I
think!). I liked every single book on this list, so it's hard to pick a
favorite...I guess that would be a tie between <b>Moloka'i</b> and <b>The Unfinished Life of Elizabeth D.</b>
- both were excellent, engaging novels. I read a nice mix - 4 adult
novels, 1 nonfiction book, 2 teen/YA novels, 2 middle-grade novels, and
three of the books were audios.<br />
<br />
Update on <a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/p/2014-reading-challenges.html">2014 Reading Challenges</a>: <br />
I added six states to my <b>Where Are You Reading Challenge 2014 </b>(it's easy at the beginning of the year!). I read just one from my TBR shelves, <b>Insurgent</b>, for my <b>2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge</b>.
At this rate, my TBR bookcase will burst! I need to stop going to the
library for a while. I listened to three audio book for my <b>2014 Audio Book Challenge</b>, so that one's going well so far. I finally read one nonfiction book! But no classics yet.
<br />
<br />
What was your favorite book read in February? Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-26395276882032668352014-03-12T17:48:00.000-04:002014-03-12T17:53:01.494-04:00Teen/YA Review: Thin Space<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSpjrsH-vsvj93nyiBRMxH0Dv8qGtT6Tb5LFnA4F2zn7w7PF415ldONPZlVphjuqC6Y9aH6f1y2M3nNAQdRSM4RVCIxO4B1kdWvdAT-B5I6eJCRBy1_Uf9DUuvelc0QQgMLtWj1V3OOA/s1600/thin+space.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSpjrsH-vsvj93nyiBRMxH0Dv8qGtT6Tb5LFnA4F2zn7w7PF415ldONPZlVphjuqC6Y9aH6f1y2M3nNAQdRSM4RVCIxO4B1kdWvdAT-B5I6eJCRBy1_Uf9DUuvelc0QQgMLtWj1V3OOA/s1600/thin+space.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
In the midst of reading several very large adult novels for
my book groups, I was looking for a quick and engaging read (a palate
cleanser!), and I found it in <b>Thin Space</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">
by Jody Casella. This compelling teen/YA novel mixes realistic teen portrayals
with a touch of the supernatural, in a short thriller that I thoroughly
enjoyed.</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Marshall is grieving the loss of his twin in a horrible car
accident that happened several months ago. His family and old friends give him
a wide berth, figuring he just needs space to mourn and recover, but there is
more going on with Marshall than meets the eye. For starters, he goes
everywhere barefoot, even as winter begins in western NY.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His parents and teachers think it has
something to do with his grieving process, but Marsh has a secret: he is
searching for a thin space, a barrier between this world and the next where
people can move between the two worlds…and from what he’s read, you can only
enter cross over a thin space in bare feet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The entire novel is told from Marsh’s perspective, so the
story of exactly what happened on the day of the accident emerges only
gradually. Marsh thinks there could be a thin space in a house on his street,
where an elderly neighbor recently died, and he sees his chance to get into the
house again and explore when a new girl, Maddie, moves into the house with her
mother and brother. Maddie joins Marsh in his supernatural search. Although she
has her own reasons for wanting to find a thin space, it is clear that the two
of them actually like each other as well. The question is, can any kind of
relationship grow here, in the midst of so much pain and with Marsh’s
all-encompassing obsession with the dead?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Thin Space</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> has a
unique premise and a convoluted plot that slowly becomes clearer as the story
evolves. It was just as compelling as I’d hoped, and I finished the novel in a
few short days. The characters all felt real, and although the novel has an
underlying supernatural premise, most of the book takes place in the real
world, reading like good realistic teen/YA fiction. This is one of those novels
with so many twists and surprises that when I finished, I wanted to immediately
go back and re-read it! </span><b>Thin Space</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">
is Casella’s first novel, and I am definitely looking forward to reading more
from her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">243
pages, Simon Pulse</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158270435X/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=158270435X&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwsuzanjacks-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=158270435X&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=wwwsuzanjacks-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwsuzanjacks-20&l=as2&o=1&a=158270435X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158270435X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=158270435X&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwsuzanjacks-20">Thin Space</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwsuzanjacks-20&l=as2&o=1&a=158270435X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span>
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-49916021338947747572014-03-10T16:27:00.002-04:002014-03-10T16:27:13.711-04:00It's Monday 3/10! What Are You Reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfAcPJvq4y9zVIEhatnmyxhOSJv01i6rmrHqTDCoea8JfGWknZDK6YBNmEG2LEtL4HvKt7fy_EdOa1H4s7oHQKL80AQbn9JpIkXSezoWgJ0vfB0tlEpvl3sCnKRfPg16VgKNIOUYp2RI/s1600/Monday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfAcPJvq4y9zVIEhatnmyxhOSJv01i6rmrHqTDCoea8JfGWknZDK6YBNmEG2LEtL4HvKt7fy_EdOa1H4s7oHQKL80AQbn9JpIkXSezoWgJ0vfB0tlEpvl3sCnKRfPg16VgKNIOUYp2RI/s1600/Monday.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Busy
Monday! I usually try to post my Monday update first thing in the
morning, but here it is 4 pm already. I hope this isn't a harbinger of
the coming week!<br />
<br />
Here's what we read last week, in the midst of our busy lives:<br />
<ul>
<li>I am still reading <b>The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay</b>
by Michael Chabon - it is over 600 pages! - for my book group this
week. There is no way I will finish it in time since I am still not even
halfway through it, but I am really enjoying it. I've heard great
things about this novel for years, so I'm glad to finally have a chance
to read it.</li>
<li>I am now listening to the audio book <b>Allegiant</b> by Veronica Roth, having just finished book 2 in the series a week ago. This is good preparation for the <i>Divergent</i>
movie that is being released this week! And, I've inspired my husband
to re-listen to the entire series (he's heard book 1 and just the
beginning of book 2).</li>
<li>My husband, Ken, finished John Grisham's latest, <b>Sycamore Row</b>, a follow-up to his famous <i>A Time to Kill</i> and a Christmas gift from our son. He enjoyed it, and I've moved it into my own TBR pile now!</li>
<li>Jamie,
19, did some comfort reading this week because he got a bad cold and
bronchitis and spent most of the week in his dorm room, resting. For him, comfort reading means re-reading old favorites. He re-read <b>The Warrior Heir</b> by Cinda Williams Chima, and now he is re-reading <b>Merlin</b> by Stephen R. Lawhead.</li>
</ul>
I didn't have a lot of writing time last week (again!), but I managed one review and another post:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/03/middle-grade-review-zane-and-hurricane.html">Review of<b> Zane and the Hurricane: A Story of Katrina</b></a> by Rodman Philbrick, an outstanding and emotionally powerful middle-grade novel.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/03/weekend-cooking-39.html">Weekend Cooking 3/</a>9, with several dinner recipes appropriate for either Paleo dieters or anyone else.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">What are you and your family reading this week? </span></span></span></b>
<br />
<br />
<b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Sheila at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a>, with a kid/teen version hosted by <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>. Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-51376119000989368082014-03-04T16:55:00.001-05:002022-02-26T13:50:47.994-05:00Middle-Grade Review: Zane and the Hurricane<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0dQYcL-pZwSRw9vK9DeNxShTcLDq8mS8aOPebz1U63Q1Knlm8DIaDBx_g8uTbS0_SonosIVnZWXBK98Cj9F_5mPXgqErFA5T-tDV_CPV1dU_3-uCfNzfRiRv1H90Xmh_1Mkk7WSWIjw/s1600/zane.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0dQYcL-pZwSRw9vK9DeNxShTcLDq8mS8aOPebz1U63Q1Knlm8DIaDBx_g8uTbS0_SonosIVnZWXBK98Cj9F_5mPXgqErFA5T-tDV_CPV1dU_3-uCfNzfRiRv1H90Xmh_1Mkk7WSWIjw/s1600/zane.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
Today is Mardi Gras day, the end of a very special season of
celebration in New Orleans, so it seemed like the perfect time to write a
review of an amazing middle-grade novel I just finished, <b>Zane and the Hurricane</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> by award-winning author Rodman Philbrick. As you
might have guessed, this is a novel about Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath,
and I was completely engrossed in its emotionally powerful story from beginning
to end.</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Twelve-year old Zane Dupree lives in New Hampshire with his
mom and his dog Bandit (Bandy for short). Zane’s mom discovers a long-lost
relative living in New Orleans, Zane’s great-grandmother, known as Miss Trissy,
who raised his father when he was a boy. Zane’s dad died before he was born, so
Zane never knew him, but his mom really wants him to know his
great-grandmother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zane agrees to
go visit Miss Trissy, if he can bring Bandy along. His timing is terrible,
though, because just as he arrives in hot and humid New Orleans, a tropical
depression that was supposed to die out turns into a huge storm named Katrina.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Zane meets Miss Trissy in the first few chapters, and the
rest of the novel focuses on what happens during and after Katrina. Miss Trissy
lives in the Ninth Ward, which took the worst brunt of the flooding and damage
after the levees broke. If you saw any news at all about Katrina, you know that
Zane’s story is a difficult one, filled with fear and tragedy. It’s not all
horrible; the novel includes instances of courage, friendship, and generosity
alongside the bad things. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We used to live in New Orleans, so we watched the news of
Katrina with even more horror than most Americans as we saw parts of our
beloved city destroyed. I found this novel to be very realistic and true to New
Orleans’ true character and spirit, both the good and the bad. The author did a
fabulous job of describing the city and its people and making you feel like you
were really there. The bulk of the novel occurs during the storm and the
flooding afterward so there is a lot of tension and suspense, as the reader
goes along with Zane through the terror and uncertainty of those first days
that forever changed New Orleans and the surrounding areas. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Philbrick includes plenty of factual information about
Katrina, including maps, a timeline, and real facts that were used as the basis
for certain events in the story. All of it – the fiction and the facts – made
me want to learn more. This is an emotional story that packs a powerful punch
and stays with you long after you read the last page.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div><p>
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 12pt;">192
pages, The Blue Sky Press (an imprint of Scholastic)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 12pt;">Scholastic Audio</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 12pt;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in
return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced
by my relationship with the publisher or author.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from
these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help
offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 12pt;"><style>@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-alt:"Times Roman";
mso-font-charset:77;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times","serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-no-proof:yes;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times","serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Times;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;</style></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Visit </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/SueJacksonDE/videos"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">my YouTube Channel </span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">for
more bookish fun!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3HtX1sm" target="_blank">Listen to a sample of the audiobook here</a> and/or download it from Audible.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You
can </span><a href="https://bookshop.org/shop/bookbybook"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">buy the book through
Bookshop.org</span></a><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,
where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all
indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <br /> <br /> <br /></span></p>
<script
src="https://bookshop.org/widgets.js"
data-type="book"
data-affiliate-id="1993"
data-sku="9780545342391"></script>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Or
you can <a href="https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5487&awinaffid=966395&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bookdepository.com%2FZane-and-the-Hurricane-Rodman-Philbrick%2F9780545342391" target="_blank">order </a></span><a href="https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5487&awinaffid=966395&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bookdepository.com%2FZane-and-the-Hurricane-Rodman-Philbrick%2F9780545342391" target="_blank"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Zane and the Hurricane</span></b></a><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=5487&awinaffid=966395&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bookdepository.com%2FZane-and-the-Hurricane-Rodman-Philbrick%2F9780545342391" target="_blank"> from Book Depository</a>, with
free shipping worldwide.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 12pt;"><style>@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-alt:"Times Roman";
mso-font-charset:77;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-alt:"Times Roman";
mso-font-charset:77;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times","serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-no-proof:yes;}a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times","serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Times;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style> </span><br />
<br />
<br /></p>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-21980649315738614872014-03-03T10:04:00.002-05:002014-03-03T10:04:09.359-05:00It's Monday 3/3! What Are You Reading?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RstcY4bgDxP4BlgIHGkZZhzbxafUExqJETv7z_WlNKdUKSARlm1BjulRjn82Eysmh5wrMyCVo5UcxnNJ7py6WN9oH8Fi0GtKeTSxYCbZcxhS6E87KgD8_52P_CFQQl29mop_CsvDVOk/s1600/Monday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RstcY4bgDxP4BlgIHGkZZhzbxafUExqJETv7z_WlNKdUKSARlm1BjulRjn82Eysmh5wrMyCVo5UcxnNJ7py6WN9oH8Fi0GtKeTSxYCbZcxhS6E87KgD8_52P_CFQQl29mop_CsvDVOk/s1600/Monday.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Here
we are on another Monday, with snow falling steadily outside and yet
another snow day with school cancelled! This winter feels like it will
never end...<br />
<br />
Inside, it is cozy and warm, and we had a fun (though exhausting!) weekend, with our annual <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/03/weekend-cooking-32.html">Mardi Gras party</a> plus my mom and her husband here for the weekend. So, you would think we had no time for reading...but we <i>always</i>
make time to read, no matter what else is going on! It looks like I
read a LOT last week, but mostly, I finished up a lot of books I'd been
working on for a while:<br />
<ul>
<li>I finished <b>The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D.</b>
by Nichole Bernier in time for my neighborhood book group on Wednesday.
It was an excellent novel, and we had so much to discuss! In addition,
the author very kindly made some personalized videos for our group,
answering our questions about the book and telling us what was behind
its writing. I hope to write a review this week and tell you more.</li>
<li>My next book group book wasn't in at the library yet, so I squeezed in a short middle-grade novel, <b>Zane and the Hurricane</b> by Rodman Philbrick.
It's about a young boy who is visiting his great-grandmother in New
Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hits and how he survives both the storm
and its aftermath. It's an emotionally powerful story that made me want
to read more about Katrina. The timing was just right for me, as we used
to live in New Orleans and were celebrating Mardi Gras this weekend. I
hope to post a review tomorrow, Mardi Gras day.</li>
<li>On Friday, I finally started my next book group pick, <b>The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay</b>
by Michael Chabon. I've been meaning to read this award-winning novel
for years, so I was glad when my other book group picked it; however,
it's over 600 pages of very dense text, so it will be a challenge to
finish it in time for next week's meeting!</li>
<li>I finally finished <b>168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think</b>
by Laura Vanderkam! Woo Hoo!! It took me 2 months to read it, so I
think I really needed it. The author had some interesting insights into
time management, achieving your goals, and living a more deliberate
life. I want to take some notes and try implementing some of her advice
before I return it to the library.</li>
<li>And I finished my audio book, <b>Insurgent</b>
by Veronica Roth. I started it with my family last summer, but they
lost interest, so I am glad that I finally found time to finish it. I'm not quite as big a fan of the series as some people are (for me, it's certainly not as thought-provoking or well-written as <i>The Hunger Games</i>
trilogy, which I often hear it compared to), but it is an engaging
story, and the audio was well done. I enjoyed it and am looking forward
to the third and final book, <i>Allegiant</i>.</li>
<li>My husband, Ken, is still reading John Grisham's latest, <b>Sycamore Row</b>, a follow-up to his famous <i>A Time to Kill</i> and a Christmas gift from our son. He was laughing last night at all the books I finished last week, but this is a hefty one he's working on.</li>
<li>Jamie, 19, finished reading <b>The Dream Thieves</b> by Maggie Stiefvater and brought it back home so I can read it next. I'm not sure what he's reading now - with all the activity this weekend, I forgot to ask him!</li>
</ul>
I had very little time last week for writing, with all the party and house guest preparation. I managed just two posts:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/02/middle-grade-review-flora-ulysses_27.html">Review of <b>Flora & Ulysses</b></a>, a middle-grade novel by Kate DiCamillo<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/03/weekend-cooking-32.html">Weekend Cooking</a> post, all about how to celebrate Mardi Gras - there's still time - 2 more days to go! <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">What are you and your family reading this week? </span></span></span></b>
<br />
<br />
<b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Sheila at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a>, with a kid/teen version hosted by <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDw7yd8evvL_7ZoqTqF4vic6Xaluv_OoVWkE3RkwDlrNOKnGsxhx1DOJGjJBHwVG13fpbSzL9DRha3V3JiXX2-UsuPFaake80AiH6ezPxl2b3BEcTZslgA9C15zth0cwMSfXlD8nEwhlQ/s1600/IMG_1541.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDw7yd8evvL_7ZoqTqF4vic6Xaluv_OoVWkE3RkwDlrNOKnGsxhx1DOJGjJBHwVG13fpbSzL9DRha3V3JiXX2-UsuPFaake80AiH6ezPxl2b3BEcTZslgA9C15zth0cwMSfXlD8nEwhlQ/s1600/IMG_1541.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Happy Mardi Gras! My sons and I, about 5 years ago</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-55174036798120828972014-02-27T21:00:00.000-05:002014-02-28T18:53:07.313-05:00Middle-Grade Review: Flora & Ulysses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxMwc1V_mR51n94ROaJVmxnprh0rJWGEeo87XUHr9heCZbUnerloTA_6SGMjO9dPp0lXOtlUQ14ke0z5UjSQRNTeVy46buR_mORcfNvvd9yWuUBu8lPK4fLwb5BZwXV7GVVnTmPQvkUw/s1600/Flora%2526Ulysses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxMwc1V_mR51n94ROaJVmxnprh0rJWGEeo87XUHr9heCZbUnerloTA_6SGMjO9dPp0lXOtlUQ14ke0z5UjSQRNTeVy46buR_mORcfNvvd9yWuUBu8lPK4fLwb5BZwXV7GVVnTmPQvkUw/s1600/Flora%2526Ulysses.jpg" height="200" width="148" /></a></div>
I recently listened to Kate DiCamillo’s latest middle-grade
novel, <b>Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">on audio. Like DiCamillo’s other well-known
middle-grade novels, this one was warm and original, with a great sense of
humor, and I enjoyed listening to it.</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ten-year old Flora is a self-described cynic who loves comic
books and superheroes. Her summer begins with a bang when a squirrel in her
yard gets sucked up into her family’s new super-powered vacuum cleaner (the
Ulysses 2000X). Like so many other mild-mannered citizens in the comic books
that Flora reads, that trauma results in the squirrel developing super-powers:
he can talk, he has super-strength, and he can write poetry. Flora names him
Ulysses, and their adventures begin!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Flora’s parents are divorced, her mother seems interested
only in writing romance novels (which Flora hates!), and her neighbor’s
great-nephew, William, seems intent on hanging around with Flora all summer. In
the midst of all of this, Flora is trying to protect her new superhero friend,
whom her mother seems bent on destroying. All of this is great fodder for a
young girl with an avid imagination, a love of comic books, and a rodent friend
with superpowers!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Flora and Ulysses have all kinds of adventures together and
close calls, in the spirit of superhero comic books, and maybe learn some life
lessons along the way. I listened to this unique and humorous novel on audio,
which I now see was a mistake. I had no idea as I listened, but it turns out
that this fun novel is actually written partly in text and partly comic-book
style. I took a look on amazon (click on the amazon link below and click on the
“Look Inside” pic of the cover) and loved the graphic novel style and fun
illustrations that really add to the overall attraction of this novel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the audio was enjoyable, I can
see now that I missed out on a lot without the visuals, so this is one book
that is better in paper format.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Overall, <b>Flora & Ulysses</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is a fun romp, filled with DiCamillo’s trademark warmth and
tenderness, as well as a great sense of humor. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although my sons have outgrown most DiCamillo novels by now
(they are 16 and 19), we all have very fond memories of listening to <a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2010/04/middle-grade-review-miraculous-journey.html"><i>The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;"> (still one of the most amazing middle-grade novels I have ever read) on
audio in the car and reading </span><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2010/04/middle-grade-review-tiger-rising.html"><i>The Tiger Rising</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;"> together out loud.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Listening
Library</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1406354562/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1406354562&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwsuzanjacks-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1406354562&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=wwwsuzanjacks-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwsuzanjacks-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1406354562" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1406354562/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1406354562&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwsuzanjacks-20">Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwsuzanjacks-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1406354562" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /></span>Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-52746290671203732632014-02-24T09:51:00.002-05:002014-02-24T09:51:55.798-05:00It's Monday 2/24! What Are You Reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUg3SBweuLeR0b66-LjvHs_aknB662CSbV8cf3m9zCDGEiaceRAMDDXNRui8HkrKK6uf44G0mbF8NE6ERdZcuYb8Kyrrlb4NE7hmFrX6BcJAk1Swdv-9UhFoBvXTjZf726hyjqd8N01U/s1600/Monday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUg3SBweuLeR0b66-LjvHs_aknB662CSbV8cf3m9zCDGEiaceRAMDDXNRui8HkrKK6uf44G0mbF8NE6ERdZcuYb8Kyrrlb4NE7hmFrX6BcJAk1Swdv-9UhFoBvXTjZf726hyjqd8N01U/s1600/Monday.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Monday
morning - I love the feeling of starting a new week, with new
possibilities and a fresh start. We had a busy weekend but with time for
fun, too...and everyone was feeling good! This week will be a busy one
as well, but we always make time for reading:<br />
<ul>
<li>I finished the teen/YA novel <b>Thin Space</b>
by Jody Casella, a story about a twin grieving the loss of his brother
and trying to find an opening between this world and the next. It was
very good, mostly a realistic story about grief, with a touch of the
supernatural.</li>
<li>Now I am reading my next book group selection, <b>The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D.</b>
by Nichole Bernier, for my neighborhood book group on Wednesday. I am
loving this book and staying up much too late at night reading! It's
about a woman who inherits the journals of a good friend after her
untimely death and finds out there were a lot of things she didn't know
about her friend. It is also about motherhood and self-identity and the
way people change over time. The author offered to answer our questions
in a personalized video clip, so I am very much looking forward to
hearing from her.</li>
<li>I finished listening to <b>The Good Sister</b> by Wendy Corsi Staub, a thriller on audio. I thought I had it all figured out, but there were still some surprises at the end!</li>
<li>I am now listening to <b>Insurgent</b> by Veronica Roth, Book 2 in the <i>Divergent</i>
trilogy. We started listening to this on vacation last summer, but my
husband and son lost interest (mainly because it had been too long since
they read <i>Divergent</i>), so I am finally getting back to it.</li>
<li>And I am still reading <b>168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think</b>
by Laura Vanderkam...but I am finally getting near the end! It's been
very good, and there is a lot of advice in it that I want to try to
implement.</li>
<li>My husband, Ken, is still reading John Grisham's latest, <b>Sycamore Row</b>, a follow-up to his famous <i>A Time to Kill</i> and a Christmas gift from our son. He's enjoying it and pointed out that it counts as a <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/p/2013-big-book-summer-challenge.html">Big Book</a>!</li>
<li>Jamie, 19, is still reading <b>The Dream Thieves</b>
by Maggie Stiefvater (I think) - he had a busy week, finishing up his
Calc 3 final from last semester while attending new classes for this
semester. </li>
</ul>
I didn't have as much writing time last week as I'd hoped, but I did manage two posts:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/02/fiction-review-marriage-plot.html">Review of <b>The Marriage Plot</b></a> by Jeffrey Eugenides, a literary novel.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/02/weekend-cooking-223.html">Weekend Cooking</a>, about our new experiences with restricted diets, including healthy, tasty recipes that can be enjoyed by anyone.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">What are you and your family reading this week? </span></span></span></b>
<br />
<br />
<b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Sheila at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a>, with a kid/teen version hosted by <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-59217568005329424382014-02-17T09:45:00.002-05:002014-02-17T09:45:11.839-05:00It's Monday 2/17! What Are You Reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMYxNx6NnuhmyPCy2mj4kZ5Vp_PGU2tPt5uAM3GRwp6AIUjoebwhX2_VMpGz04rPPFbAF0YvQJgj1qlceFM5r3YYxcP034P2m9sfREYYhtEsM74MC647B6JCDFQ6zrN3raeTHw_2wXis/s1600/Monday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMYxNx6NnuhmyPCy2mj4kZ5Vp_PGU2tPt5uAM3GRwp6AIUjoebwhX2_VMpGz04rPPFbAF0YvQJgj1qlceFM5r3YYxcP034P2m9sfREYYhtEsM74MC647B6JCDFQ6zrN3raeTHw_2wXis/s1600/Monday.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Another week with more snow (lots more - check out <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/02/snapshot-saturday-215.html">my pics</a>),
more snow days, and more medical urgencies to keep me busy. It is
supposed to snow again tonight! We did have a fairly quiet weekend, with
one son off at college (home on Sunday) and the other on a school ski
trip. Today is a holiday, so my husband and younger son are both home.
Please, oh, please, no more snow days this week!<br />
<br />
We did manage plenty of reading this week, though:<br />
<ul>
<li>I finished <b>The Marriage Plot </b>by
Jeffrey Eugenides for my library's books discussion. Well, to be more
precise, I still had 100 pages to go when I went to the discussion, but I
finished it afterward. It seemed to be a love-it-or-hate-it book. Of
the six people at the meeting, four of us enjoyed it (including me), and
two couldn't finish it. One couldn't get past page 2! I really liked it
overall and did finish it after the meeting. I hope to post a review of
it this week.</li>
<li>My next book group selection isn't available yet at the library, so I decided to squeeze in a short teen/YA novel, <b>Thin Space</b>
by Jody Casella, a supernatural tale about a grieving twin who is
trying to find a "thin space," a break between this world and the next
where he can be reunited with his dead brother. It's very good so far
and fast-paced.</li>
<li>I am still reading <b>168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think</b>
by Laura Vanderkam, squeezing in a page here or there when I can. This
is my waiting room book, so I made some progress last week!</li>
<li>On audio, I am listening to <b>The Good Sister</b>
by Wendy Corsi Staub, a creepy suspense thriller. I didn't love it at
first, but I have to admit that it has grabbed my attention now, and I'm
having trouble setting it down.</li>
<li>My husband, Ken, is reading John Grisham's latest, <b>Sycamore Row</b>, a follow-up to his famous <i>A Time to Kill</i> and a Christmas gift from our son.</li>
<li>My 19-year old son did the right thing last week, setting down a slow book that he wasn't enjoying much to read <b>The Raven Boys</b> by Maggie Stiefvater which<a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/02/teenya-review-raven-boys.html"> I read recently</a> and loved (mom knows best!). He loved it, too, and immediately moved onto <b>The Dream Thieves</b>, book 2 in this fast-paced teen/YA series. I want to read the second book when he is done with it.</li>
<li>Our 16-year old son is reading <b>MacBeth</b> for his British Literature class.</li>
</ul>
Despite best-laid plans, I didn't have any time for writing reviews last week, though I did finally post my <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/02/books-read-in-january.html">Summary of Books Read in January</a>. I am catching up, little by little, after a rough start to the year!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">What are you and your family reading this week? </span></span></span></b>
<br />
<br />
<b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Sheila at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a>, with a kid/teen version hosted by <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-57792223108530225332014-02-13T13:41:00.002-05:002014-02-13T13:41:50.447-05:00Books Read in January<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqPnOXwy7G6M-sMa_0d2Dap3jvfMccvL4AozYQgT7bW6OHBrCKkZf49y9v56ss-11h0Dc5BpCPjHyDVDn35c-3jcPovyef9Ll6woBSNGqdAnWjxxw4SShkELN1gAr33F6BIZjLm0Jn6MM/s1600/IMG_1658.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqPnOXwy7G6M-sMa_0d2Dap3jvfMccvL4AozYQgT7bW6OHBrCKkZf49y9v56ss-11h0Dc5BpCPjHyDVDn35c-3jcPovyef9Ll6woBSNGqdAnWjxxw4SShkELN1gAr33F6BIZjLm0Jn6MM/s1600/IMG_1658.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It's
a little late, but I am finally posting my January summary. It was a
COLD month, filled with waaay too many snow days with my kids home from
school! Plus a few family medical problems thrown in for fun! So, I only
read 4 books in January, but they were all good (and they were all
fairly long, too):<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/01/teenya-review-code-name-verity.html"><b>Code Name Verity</b></a> by Elizabeth Wein, a teen/YA historical novel (France)</li>
<li><a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/01/fiction-review-house-girl.html"><b>The House Girl</b></a> by Tara Conklin, historical fiction (Virginia) </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTaeDREWpXMxVxO3SBawBRrXgA7Tyg9oLliaWHOESff25BC-su-DpcGxd53ymnw_CP59T9QV6VavrmKjhY32_DFKZHEHhIt3l7zVxmFSX5syYRKZNEZb6W01Cjh_4jN25z-WeTNcNd0I/s1600/CodeNameVerity.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTaeDREWpXMxVxO3SBawBRrXgA7Tyg9oLliaWHOESff25BC-su-DpcGxd53ymnw_CP59T9QV6VavrmKjhY32_DFKZHEHhIt3l7zVxmFSX5syYRKZNEZb6W01Cjh_4jN25z-WeTNcNd0I/s1600/CodeNameVerity.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKbgWhC28T8FctLT864INnHoklt1f7bGZ-lo19Jc01faB2Ej1enFLXaAp7bEF28DUY2Qicq8f4ZjFZskhUfGpr42lVew3nT1C8yiaACrmSb1iA3lQNNge40dscHTZZJKh_qCt3vVGLHM/s1600/House+Girl.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKbgWhC28T8FctLT864INnHoklt1f7bGZ-lo19Jc01faB2Ej1enFLXaAp7bEF28DUY2Qicq8f4ZjFZskhUfGpr42lVew3nT1C8yiaACrmSb1iA3lQNNge40dscHTZZJKh_qCt3vVGLHM/s1600/House+Girl.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/02/teenya-review-raven-boys.html"><b>The Raven Boys</b></a> by Maggie Stiefvater, a teen/YA novel (Virginia) </li>
<li><a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/01/middle-grade-review-real-boy.html"><b>The Real Boy</b></a> by Anne Ursu, a middle-grade novel on audio (fantasy location) </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyf4XtyYCCrX_i75m1yhbgu7IzSRGFSuo0ye0rMtkem5ubQAAPVjcuk2cFYKeE8kXDG15PvvnoWf5U0QH-Vg1QEBAhm9CjFwhPhWJVLZBbG4764PKQdfuI3uSjXvxfezopf-CTcfi7jQ0/s1600/RealBoy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyf4XtyYCCrX_i75m1yhbgu7IzSRGFSuo0ye0rMtkem5ubQAAPVjcuk2cFYKeE8kXDG15PvvnoWf5U0QH-Vg1QEBAhm9CjFwhPhWJVLZBbG4764PKQdfuI3uSjXvxfezopf-CTcfi7jQ0/s1600/RealBoy.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivB1x6lHr4elbg6zA72Tgd_iNvV0J_bcAh-_TuEcn9tuG2M2mvWhQl5mRxhl83yG33dxYEWUKz9g3X0j7yJPEspR0ansvIKSBwKYN4RRwZxK09gtONSzqSZ5EGxpYXSZpzvqd6fz8nZlU/s1600/RavenBoys.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivB1x6lHr4elbg6zA72Tgd_iNvV0J_bcAh-_TuEcn9tuG2M2mvWhQl5mRxhl83yG33dxYEWUKz9g3X0j7yJPEspR0ansvIKSBwKYN4RRwZxK09gtONSzqSZ5EGxpYXSZpzvqd6fz8nZlU/s1600/RavenBoys.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So,
not a lot of books, but a nice variety, with one adult novel, two
teen/YA, and one middle-grade (and an audio). It was an all-fiction
month! Tough to pick my favorite - they were all good - but <b>The Raven Boys</b> probably grabbed me the most.<br />
<br />
Update on <a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/p/2014-reading-challenges.html">2014 Reading Challenges</a>: <br />
I added just one state and one country to my <b>Where Are You Reading Challenge 2014 </b>- I couldn't believe that two of my four books this month took place in the same state! I read just one from my TBR shelves, <b>The Raven Boys</b>, for my <b>2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge</b>. And I listened to one audio book for my <b>2014 Audio Book Challenge</b>. No nonfiction or classics yet.Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-38471673007470923432014-02-10T09:45:00.002-05:002014-02-10T09:46:17.694-05:00It's Monday 2/10! What Are You Reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RJr_H6SZb2E1okSenXOAL_UIsvo5906Vk9S7IfTjiX1RHmDcPCj6RE-D9GpWACNo6Z8TTeK65J1AKAmTpEUj3PDsH9DGNJ3LRDzGpLKMutGblYIJ_fvt4b9atffJf_sZ95LTv4Dswtg/s1600/Monday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RJr_H6SZb2E1okSenXOAL_UIsvo5906Vk9S7IfTjiX1RHmDcPCj6RE-D9GpWACNo6Z8TTeK65J1AKAmTpEUj3PDsH9DGNJ3LRDzGpLKMutGblYIJ_fvt4b9atffJf_sZ95LTv4Dswtg/s1600/Monday.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Another busy week - more snow and ice (check out my <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/02/snapshot-saturday-28.html">ice storm photos</a>),
my older son still horribly sick with his chronic illnesses, and my
husband out of town. This morning things are looking up a bit. Our son
did move back onto campus last night, but he's still not in good shape,
and we are very worried about how he'll manage. We spent a lot of time
last week and this weekend consulting with various medical professionals
and are trying some new, fairly radical changes to diet, medicines, and
supplements this week in the hopes that it will help him.<br />
<br />
BUT,
for now, I am blissfully alone in a quiet house this morning (still
worrying, but one step at a time!). As always, our books provided
distraction and comfort last week:<br />
<ul>
<li>I finished <b>Moloka'i</b>
by Alan Brennert, the February choice for my online family
book group. I was captivated by this compelling fictional story based on
historical fact about a leper colony on the Hawaiian island of
Moloka'i. Here's <a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/02/fiction-review-molokai.html">my review</a>.</li>
<li>Next, I picked up another book group read, <b>The Marriage Plot</b>
by Jeffrey Eugenides, for my library's book discussion on Wednesday.
There's no way I will finish it in time, but I am enjoying it so far -
the first of Eugenides' novels I've read. </li>
<li>I finished my audio book, <b>Flora and Ulysses</b>
by Kate DiCamillo, a middle-grade novel about a young girl and a
poetry-writing squirrel superhero. Yes, I said squirrel. It was fun and
silly and warm - classic DiCamillo.</li>
<li>I started a new audio book, <b>The Good Sister</b> by Wendy Corsi Staub, this one a grown-up novel. I'm only on the second chapter, but it seems to be about family secrets.</li>
<li>And I am still making my way - slowly but surely - through <b>168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think</b> by Laura Vanderkam. It's been interesting so far, but I have been focused on my book group novels.</li>
<li>My husband, Ken, finished Jo Nesbo's <b>The Bat</b> on his Kindle and enjoyed it.</li>
<li>Ken has now started <b>Sycamore Row</b> by John Grisham, a Christmas gift from our son. It's a follow-up novel to Grisham's <i>A Time to Kill</i>, which we both read about 20 years ago and barely remember!</li>
<li>Our oldest son, Jamie, 19, was still reading <b>The Outstretched Shadow</b> by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory, Book One in <i>The Obsidian Trilogy </i>this
week but was struggling with it. He said it was very long and fairly
slow-paced, so it wasn't keeping his attention, especially given how
sick he was. I finally convinced him that it was OK to set it aside and
read something else!</li>
<li>I suggested a fast-paced teen/YA novel to him, so he picked up <b>The Raven Boys</b> by Maggie Stiefvater which<a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/02/teenya-review-raven-boys.html"> I read recently</a> and loved. He needed some comfort reading!</li>
<li>Craig, 16, just started reading <b>MacBeth</b> by Shakespeare for his Brit Lit class.</li>
</ul>
Despite the hectic, stressful week, I actually managed quite a few blog posts:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/02/coming-soon-your-favorite-books-as.html">Coming Soon: Your Favorite Books as Movies 2014</a>, about some of this year's most hotly anticipated book adaptations on the big screen.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/02/2014-reading-challenges.html">My 2014 Reading Challenges</a> - yes, I finally found time to sign up for some challenges!<br />
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/02/fiction-review-molokai.html"><br /></a>
<a href="http://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2014/02/fiction-review-molokai.html">Review of <b>Moloka'i</b></a> by Alan Brennert, a wonderful historical novel set in Hawaii<br />
<br />
<a href="http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot.com/2014/02/teenya-review-raven-boys.html">Review of <b>The Raven Boys</b></a> by Maggie Stiefvater, a teen/YA novel <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">What are you and your family reading this week? </span></span></span></b>
<br />
<br />
<b>What Are You Reading Monday</b> is hosted by Sheila at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a>, with a kid/teen version hosted by <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/">Unleashing Readers</a>.
Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371737332853765197.post-46822873731677660132014-02-06T20:04:00.000-05:002014-02-06T20:04:08.923-05:002014 Reading Challenges<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>2014 Reading Challenges</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Yes,
I finally found time to join some challenges for 2014! I spent a lot of
time searching for just the right challenges, plus a few old favorites:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9pUSnFl-_sND2LVaIyZk1VCnNaSmBoM-uyWsy-HbPo24QxGbVW4zZnMW2G7H1HULJ3hsOv7DtjJU5UKyWRq6TavEpmhjHOuGqwmUHXtHn8RG2U00UlgDnGtZ2UjRD8-Edy2icbtNFWSQ/s1600/Where+2014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9pUSnFl-_sND2LVaIyZk1VCnNaSmBoM-uyWsy-HbPo24QxGbVW4zZnMW2G7H1HULJ3hsOv7DtjJU5UKyWRq6TavEpmhjHOuGqwmUHXtHn8RG2U00UlgDnGtZ2UjRD8-Edy2icbtNFWSQ/s1600/Where+2014.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/challenges/where-are-you-reading-challenge-2014/"><b>Where Are You Reading Challenge 2014</b></a>, hosted by Sheila at <a href="http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/">Book Journey</a>:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I
sign up for this one every year and love keeping track of where my
reading takes me! Last year, I read books that took place in 27
different states and 13 different countries. We'll see how I do this
year!<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFsL9_Hv9SCjs5BcpCO2dMfSr7f_uSJ_C-kQ3Lsx5MKCSITv8c_V2DBnMav8nlzebFtEuM5te_meNsnCeVnpkfJ5boNw6soTpPb0MiGwnDTbrBHqzfC987NJEXVshIZAT6zKmqxKI7-uE/s1600/TBR+2014.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFsL9_Hv9SCjs5BcpCO2dMfSr7f_uSJ_C-kQ3Lsx5MKCSITv8c_V2DBnMav8nlzebFtEuM5te_meNsnCeVnpkfJ5boNw6soTpPb0MiGwnDTbrBHqzfC987NJEXVshIZAT6zKmqxKI7-uE/s1600/TBR+2014.png" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/2013/10/2014-tbr-pile-reading-challenge-sign-ups.html"><b>2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge</b></a>, hosted by Evie at <a href="http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/">Bookish</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I
participated in this challenge last year - it is perfect for me, as I
don't have a TBR pile - I have an entire TBR bookcase! Last year, I read
26 books from my TBR shelves, and I hope to top that this year, so I
guess that puts me in the First Kiss (21 - 30) category.<br />
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhunDuKNHlvaKV-NtFYE5pXvjH4SZzm-psllTq3L35sCsNrdMWUHIc2SaGypoc8gvVJxzeq9InUJVTMKFE-RV7LUxFIuH1U8bCoKP6QQUG7xwFCzxYbZlC1mRH1Uzysf5QdDNYJxi0l4dc/s1600/2014-Audio-Challenge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhunDuKNHlvaKV-NtFYE5pXvjH4SZzm-psllTq3L35sCsNrdMWUHIc2SaGypoc8gvVJxzeq9InUJVTMKFE-RV7LUxFIuH1U8bCoKP6QQUG7xwFCzxYbZlC1mRH1Uzysf5QdDNYJxi0l4dc/s1600/2014-Audio-Challenge.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://thebooknympho.com/2013/11/sign-up-2014-audio-book-challenge/"><b>2014 Audio Book Challenge</b></a>, hosted by <a href="http://thebooknympho.com/">The Book Nympho</a><br />
<br />
Last year, I listened to 14 audio books, so I will sign up for Stenographer (10 - 15) level.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyaI_fTx2BvCFiqX0wdLJFoAEV2XoNEQRBwJMtWgQWiEH7a-4YJjAGekq1wCpE44AB7KJEQCatfXT0t7qTmliPWg2H5cXC-CIGj2S4cKNi0Vx__Q_tpl0uhyjoZv6bRjMVy6Rz91e29A/s1600/Nonfiction2014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyaI_fTx2BvCFiqX0wdLJFoAEV2XoNEQRBwJMtWgQWiEH7a-4YJjAGekq1wCpE44AB7KJEQCatfXT0t7qTmliPWg2H5cXC-CIGj2S4cKNi0Vx__Q_tpl0uhyjoZv6bRjMVy6Rz91e29A/s1600/Nonfiction2014.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.theintrovertedreader.com/2014/01/nonfiction-reading-challenge-2014.html"><b>Nonfiction Reading Challenge 2014</b></a>, hosted by <a href="http://www.theintrovertedreader.com/">The Introverted Reader</a><br />
<br />
I
was looking for a memoir challenge and came across this one, which
includes memoirs as well as other nonfiction. I love memoirs and only
read 4 memoirs last year plus 4 other nonfiction books, so I look
forward to reading more this year! I am signing up for the Explorer
level (6-10).<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOhc_s0lWg2AR2sDDu6AeDHERPueL9r8703es5bPCDbg1YLKANqgq7saSi1C9lPrTZ5jM83jWMpU75GEfq0f73spkX2gANJWtyA87CAoHrCc27F92Cktq-amo5WJk7sLC6kkNTRLfHk0k/s1600/classics2014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOhc_s0lWg2AR2sDDu6AeDHERPueL9r8703es5bPCDbg1YLKANqgq7saSi1C9lPrTZ5jM83jWMpU75GEfq0f73spkX2gANJWtyA87CAoHrCc27F92Cktq-amo5WJk7sLC6kkNTRLfHk0k/s1600/classics2014.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://thoughtsatoneinthemorning.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-classics-reading-challenge-2014.html"><b>The Classics Reading Challenge 2014</b></a>, hosted by <a href="http://thoughtsatoneinthemorning.blogspot.com/">Thoughts At One in the Morning</a><br />
<br />
This
is just what I was looking for! Some classics challenges are too
restrictive. I want incentive to read some of the books my kids are
reading in school, some "modern" classics that I missed, and even
re-read some classics that I read decades ago. This challenge includes
all that.Sue Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532098225905355332noreply@blogger.com1