It's Monday 2/28! What Are You Reading?

Wow, the last day of February already?  Spring is in the air around here, where the temperatures have been in the 50's, and we're getting rain instead of snow this week.  I'm ready for it!

We had a great reading week here last week:

• I finally finished the 700-page The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb which was complex but very well-written.  My book group meets Wednesday to discuss it.
• I took a break from the hefty epics to read a new teen/YA mystery/thriller, Blank Confession by Pete Hautman.  It was fast-paced and suspenseful, just what I was in the mood for.
• Last night, I finished The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion, a much-lauded memoir about the author's first year after her husband of 40 years dies suddenly that I've been wanting to read for years.  The only problem is that I got it out of the library for an online book discussion, and now I can't remember which blog it was for!  Anyone??  This could be a sign that I am involved in too many book groups!!
• Today, I will start Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran for my neighborhood book group.  I must admit I've been procrastinating on this one just because it's not usually one of my favorite genres, but everyone has said it's good.  I promise to start today!
  
• My husband, Ken, was determined to finish Under the Dome by Stephen King before his business trip today because it's too big to travel with!  He finished it at 11 pm last night, just in time.  He said it was classic Stephen King.
• He's taking Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton with him on the plane today.  It was a Christmas gift from our oldest son to him, and he's been saving this paperback for a trip.
• Jamie, 16, continued reading voraciously this past week, mostly because he's still not feeling great, though he did make it to school for a few days.  He read Pathfinder, Orson Scott Card's latest teen/YA novel.  He and I have both been drooling over this one ever since it arrived because we are both huge fans of Ender's Game.  Jamie says that Pathfinder had all of his favorite fictional elements in it.  I can't wait to read it next!
• Jamie is also reading The Awakening by Kate Chopin for his American Literature class.  I've never heard of this one, but the back cover says it shocked audiences in 1899 with its passion and "honest treatment of female marital infidelity."  OK...not sure Jamie will like this one!
• Unfortunately, he's home sick again this morning and re-reading a favorite, The Roar by Emma Clayton, a recent middle-grade science fiction release.
• Craig, 12, is reading The Last Hunt, the final book in Bruce Coville's The Unicorn Chronicles.

I did manage to post two reviews last week:  Room by Emma Donoghue, one of the best novels I've read in years,  reviewed at Book By Book, and here, a review of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.)

Teen/YA Fiction: Shiver

Let me just say upfront that I am not a big fan of that newest and hottest of YA genres, paranormal romance.  I really have no interest in reading about vampires and werewolves; I haven’t even read the Twilight books.  So, I was in no hurry to read Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver, a novel about a teen girl who has a special relationship with one of the wolves who lives in the woods near her home and who is sometimes in the form of a teen boy.  The plot just didn’t appeal to me, but I kept reading reviews, from people whose opinions I respect, who said it was an excellent, well-written, engaging book.  So, I gave it a try (finally)…and I’m so glad that I did!

I was pleasantly surprised by Shiver.  I had no problem suspending belief in this group of teens and young adults who spend part of their lives as wolves, and I immediately liked Grace, the girl who feels such a connection to the wolves.  Grace was only eleven years old when the pack of starving wolves pulled her off the tire swing in her backyard and dragged her into the woods:

One wolf prodded his nose into my hand and against my cheek, casting a shadow across my face.  His yellow eyes looked into mine while the other wolves jerked me this way and that.

I held onto those eyes for as long as I could.  Yellow.  And, up close, flecked brilliantly with every shade of gold and hazel.  I didn’t want him to look away, and he didn’t.  I wanted to reach out and grab a hold of his ruff, but my hands stayed curled on my chest, my hands frozen to my body

I couldn’t remember what it felt like to be warm.

Then he was gone, and without him, the other wolves closed in, too close, suffocating.  Something seemed to flutter in my chest.

There was no sun; there was no light.  I was dying.  I couldn’t remember what the sky looked like.

But I didn’t die.  I was lost to a sea of cold, and then I was reborn into a world of warmth.

I remember this: his yellow eyes.

I thought I’d never see them again.

The wolf with the yellow eyes is Sam, and he feels that same undeniable connection to Grace that she feels to him.  Sam spends part of every year as a teen boy and the rest as a wolf, among a pack of similarly afflicted humans/wolves.  Sam and Grace fall in love, and Sam wants desperately to find a way to remain human so that he can be with Grace forever, but that seems impossible.  At the same time, events in their town put the entire wolf pack at risk.

Despite my initial reluctance, I was pulled into Shiver right from the first chapter and found it hard to put down.  It is a romance at its heart, but it also contains elements of suspense and adventure that kept me turning the pages. This is one of those books with such wide appeal it that transcends its genre.  I can’t wait to read the sequel, Linger, and find out what happens next in Grace and Sam’s lives.

390 pages, Scholastic Press

Where Are You Reading 2011:  Shiver takes place in the fictional town of Mercy Falls, in northern Minnesota, north of Duluth and near the Boundary Waters National Recreation Area.

If you want to learn more about the Wolves of Mercy Falls series - or just  can't get enough of it! -  check out Maggie Stiefvater's website and blog, where I just learned that the film rights have been purchased.

(You can also read my reviews of Linger and Forever, the second and third books in the trilogy.)

It's Monday 2/21! What Are You Reading?

Happy President's Day!

I had another rough week last week (no new reviews posted!), but this one is starting out better.  My son had a severe flare-up of his chronic illness last week, I had a moderate flare-up, and it was another hectic, overwhelming week.  I spent Friday marshaling my limited energy to pack for another weekend away, which I was dreading.  Then things turned around.  We drove to my mom's house to spend the weekend with her and her husband.  Jamie and I still felt crummy, but there was nothing to do there but rest and relax.   Craig got to go snowboarding, and my husband, Ken, went skiing for the first time in 22 years!  We all had a nice time, and now I feel rested and ready to face another full week.

Most of us are still working on the long books we were reading last week, except for Jamie.  While he was sick last week, he read four books!  That's my boy...

• I am almost finished with the 700-page novel, The Hour I First Believed, by Wally Lamb.  It's a good thing last week's book group was postponed!  It's quite an epic, starting in the 80's and going forward to the present and backward to the Civil War.  I always enjoy Lamb's writing.
• Ken, my husband, is still working his way through the 1000+-page Under the Dome by Stephen King.  He's enjoying it, though he's getting sick of carrying such a huge brick around with him!
• Craig, 13, has finished reading for his upcoming book presentation and now gone back to The Last Hunt by Bruce Coville, the final book in his favorite series, The Unicorn Chronicles.
• And then there's Jamie, 16.  He finished reading The Books of Umber 3: The End of Time by P.W. Catanese - he really enjoys that series.
• Next, on his first sick day, Jamie spotted an old favorite on his book shelf, The Goblin Wood by Hilari Bell, one of his favorite authors, and decided to re-read it.  The equivalent of comfort food for him.
  
• By now, clearly too sick for school, he piled up a big stack of books he's been meaning to read and started in!   He read Closer, Book 4 of the teen/YA Tunnels series by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams, about a hidden, underground world.  I've only read the first book so far, but Jamie says it's one of the best series he's ever read, so I think I need to catch up.
• Next, he read Sabotaged, Book 3 of The Missing series by Margaret Peterson Haddix.  Both he and I have been enjoying this fast-paced middle-grade time travel series.
• Now, he's reading The Last Olympian, the final book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan.  He recently bought it with a Christmas gift card.

What are you and your family reading this week?


(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.)

It's Monday 2/14! What Are You Reading?

Happy Valentine's Day!  My wonderful husband, Ken, asked me to marry him 23 years ago today (this photo is from about that time).  I can't imagine sharing my life with anyone else - we've been through so much together, good times and bad, and he's always there to support me.

One of the many things we share together is our love of books and reading.  We had a very busy week (yes, again), including a whirlwind trip back to my hometown of Rochester, NY, this weekend for my great-aunt's funeral.  We all enjoyed some good books this week:

• I finished reading Stones Into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan by Greg Mortenson for my library's book discussion last week (I read the last page and the epilogue right after the meeting ended!), a follow-up to his first book, Three Cups of Tea.  Everyone in the book discussion was fascinated and impressed by what Mortenson has achieved, though we all agreed we wouldn't want to be married to him!
• Just as I was hurrying to finish Stones into Schools for the library book discussion, I realized that another of my book groups is meeting THIS Wednesday, leaving me only 7 days to read the 700-page The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb.  I can't usually read in the car, but I made an exception this weekend.  It's an excellent, gripping novel so far, about a couple who worked at Columbine High School at the time of the shootings.
• My husband, Ken, is reading Under the Dome by Stephen King and enjoying it very much.
• Jamie, 16, didn't have much time for reading this week, between school, homework, and the trip (he drove part of the way), but he has started The Books of Umber 3: The End of Time by P.W. Catanese.
• Craig, 13, is re-reading Nick of Time by Ted Bell in preparation for an oral report for his English class.
• On audio, I've been listening to a new teen book, Thunder Over Kandahar by Sharon E. McKay.  Ironically, since I was reading Stones Into Schools last week, this new audio is about two young girls in a rural Afghanistan village who are eager to attend the new school recently built by an American charitable organization.  It's excellent so far.
• On the way to and from Rochester, our whole family listened to The Story of Cirrus Flux, a fast-paced middle-grade novel about two orphans in 1783 London, on the run from various evil foes who want to steal a magical token.  Now that we're back home, we need to find time to finish it!
  

Last week, I posted a review of Musicophilia by Oliver Sachs at Book By Book and a tribute to beloved children's author Brian Jacques who passed away last week.


What are you and your family reading this week?


(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.)

Beloved Children's Author Dies

 I just heard the sad news that Brian Jacques, 71, died this past weekend of a heart attack.  We are in mourning here at our house.  Jacques is best known for his iconic Redwall series.  My older son, Jamie (now 16), was a HUGE fan of Redwall.  He read every single book in the series - and re-read many of them two or three times!  He so loved Jacques' masterful descriptions of the animals' feasts that he also has The Redwall Cookbook.

Although I never read any of the Redwall books all the way through myself, our whole family listened to an audio book of Martin the Warrior (part of the Redwall series) on one of our road trips.  Jacques read the book himself, and we still, years later, all fondly remember his unique voice.

Jamie also loved Jacques' seafaring adventure series that began with Castaways of the Flying Dutchman and re-read all three books in the series this past fall when we went to the Caribbean.  I read the first book myself - it was fast-paced and exciting.

We were fortunate to meet Brian Jacques in 2007 when he visited Delaware for a book signing.  It was a last-minute thing for us - I had seen a notice of the book signing in the newspaper that morning, and we decided to check it out.  Jacques proved to be an amusing and engaging speaker.  He entranced the huge group of kids crowded onto the book store floor and had all of us laughing.  We waited in a long line for him to sign our books, but once up there, he was not at all rushed and spent time talking to our boys and (as you can see in the photo) laughing with them.

His death is a great loss to the world of children's publishing.  Here's a very nice summary of Jacques' life and his books, posted on BookPage this week.  His very last Redwall book, The Rogue Crew, will be published in May 2011.

         

It's Monday 2/7! What Are You Reading?

Getting a late start today, after a late Superbowl night.  We just had a little family party - the four of us, plus a last-minute addition of two friends of our sons - with lots of yummy junk foods!  The kids have a day off school today, so we all slept in a bit.

We had another hectic, busy week last week, with a death in the extended family, a bit of a health crisis with my older son, plus a 2-day trip to Washington, DC, for Jamie and an all-day Academic Bowl for Craig.  The good news is that my computer is still running, so that's progress!  The week passed in a blur, though we did find time for reading, as always:

• I finished the middle-grade novel, Eliza's Freedom Road: An Underground Railroad Diary by Jerdine Nolen and posted a review.
• I read and thoroughly enjoyed a tiny volume, Between Home and School: Letters, Notes, and E-mails, by Bill Harley, a warm, tender little story of a boy growing up, told entirely in letters and notes sent between his mother and his teachers.  Bill Harley is a favorite entertainer/storyteller of ours.
• Now I'm reading Stones Into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan by Greg Mortenson for my library's book discussion this week.  I really enjoyed his first book, Three Cups of Tea, and this follow-up is just as fascinating and inspirational.
• My husband, Ken, is still reading Under the Dome by Stephen King - he figures this one may take a few weeks!
• Jamie, 16, decided to set aside The Islands of the Blessed by Nancy Farmer, the last book in the trilogy that began with The Sea of Trolls, because he didn't remember enough of the second book (he often re-reads earlier books in a series before moving on).  So, now he's re-reading The Land of the Silver Apples by Nancy Farmer.  This is one of his favorite fantasy series. 
• Craig, 13, also changed books this week in order to re-read one.  He has an assignment for English to do an oral presentation on a favorite book, so he's re-reading Nick of Time by Ted Bell and keeping an eye out for favorite quotations and a good passage to read aloud to his classmates.

I tried to do a bit of catching up on my reviews last week.  In addition to the review of Eliza's Freedom Road I mentioned above, I also posted a review of the teen novel, Gone, by Lisa McMann.   On Book By Book, I also posted a long-overdue review of The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey, as well as a summary of what I read in January and a list of Top Ten Best Debut Books.


What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Mondays is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.)

Middle-Grade Review: Eliza’s Freedom Road

 I don’t think I’ve ever read a book about the Underground Railroad before, so I was interested to read Eliza’s Freedom Road: An Underground Railroad Diary by Jerdine Nolen, a new middle-grade novel about a young girl who escapes slavery in 1855.

When the novel opens, Eliza is just eleven years old, working on a farm in Alexandria, Virginia.  Her mother has been sold, which was devastating to her, but she has friends at the farm who help to take care of her.  At first she works as a helper to the cook; later she ends up acting as a personal maid to the Mistress of the farm, in the role that her mother used to fill.  Eliza is overjoyed when her close friend and mentor, Abbey, gives her a diary:

“Talk your words in this,” she told me.  That’s when Abbey gave me Mistress’s never-been-used writing diary.  Mistress had thrown it out.  She cannot see so well to write anymore.  I am writing in it now.  Abbey gave me two lead pencils, too.

“Write your words in it.  But do not ever let Sir see you do it,” she warned me.  I know what she means.  It is unlawful for Slaves to read and write.   Mistress does not but Sir enforces the Slave Laws to the letter.  Sometimes I am so full of fear for writing in my little book.  But I must write.  It helps me to think and remember.

Eliza is unusual among the slaves because Mistress taught her to read and write at a young age, so her diary entries that make up the novel are well written in standard English.

When Mistress becomes ill, Eliza accompanies her on a journey to Maryland to stay with her sister.  Although Eliza is heartbroken to leave Abbey, going to Maryland removes her temporarily from the Master’s brutal rule, and his intention to sell Eliza, as he sold her mother, at the next Slave Auction.  As Mistress’s condition worsens, it becomes clear that Eliza will have to run away in order to avoid this fate, as well as the Master’s violence. 

Interspersed among the tale of Eliza’s escape using the Underground Railroad are retellings of the stories that Eliza’s mother told her as a child.  These range from Bible stories to African folk tales to familiar stories of Brer Rabbit.

I enjoyed this little novel and learned a lot from it.  It is definitely targeted toward younger kids; there are references to violence but nothing explicit.  I think it would be ideal – and enjoyable – for older elementary or middle school students studying the Civil War, with its details both of slaves’ daily life and of how the Underground Railroad worked.

139 pages, A Paula Wiseman Book (Simon & Schuster)

Teen/YA Review: Gone

I really enjoyed Wake and Fade, the first two books in Lisa McMann's unique paranormal trilogy, so I was excited to read the final book in the series, Gone.

Janie, the main character introduced in Wake, has an unusual talent that is also a curse: she gets pulled into other people's dreams.  The process is involuntary and leaves her exhausted and drained.  In the first two books, Jamie used her strange power to help the police solve two horrific crimes, all the while becoming closer to another loner, a boy named Cabel.  She also learned that her talent comes at a terrible price.

Gone is a different kind of book.  There is no crime to solve here, no suspenseful race to the finish.  The suspense here is to find out what Janie will do with the rest of her life.  She has graduated from high school with a scholarship to college, but she has also discovered that the negative effects of being a "dream catcher" are accelerating.  She loves Cabel but worries about what effect her worsening condition will have on him as time goes on.

She feels that she has two equally awful choices: continue to use her abilities and continue to deteriorate or isolate herself away from other people's dreams and live a life of solitude.  The novel focuses on this no-win choice, but the decision is further complicated by a mysterious stranger who enters Janie's life. 

If you enjoyed Wake and Fade, you'll want to read Gone to find out what happens next and what Janie decides.

214 pages, Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster)

NOTE:  This exciting series is definitely for older teens and young adults (and grown-ups!) because it deals in part with violent crimes and sexual assault.

It's Monday 1/31! What Are You Reading?

Well, I am very glad to say hello to a new week!  As you may have read in my last post, I spent every waking moment last week trying to resolve computer problems, so I was unable to do any blogging - reading or writing - or anything else, for that matter!  It was an exhausting, stressful week.  I think (she says hopefully) that everything is OK now - it took a 4th trip to The Apple Store on Sunday.  So far, so good, but I'm still holding my breath a bit.

Reading saved my sanity last week!!  I kept my book with me while I was sitting at the computer desk for hours at a time and read while I waited for various things to load, erase, and re-load.  Here's what we read last week:

• I finished Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, the novel about teens who turn into wolves and vice-versa, and ended up loving it!  A very pleasant surprise since I don't usually like paranormal romance.
  
• Next, I read one of my Christmas presents from my husband, Ken: Room by Emma Donoghue.  WOW.  What an amazing book.  One of the best I've read.  I finished it on Saturday, and I'm still thinking about it.
• Now I'm reading a middle-grade novel, Eliza's Freedom Road: An Underground Railroad Diary by Jerdine Nolen.  It's very good so far - fascinating.
• I just moments ago finished an audio book, The Three Weissmann's of Westport by Cathleen Schine.  It really grew on me; I enjoyed it.
• My husband, Ken, read Gone by Lisa McMann, the last book in the teen trilogy, Wake and Fade.
• During one of my 4 trips to the mall to fix my computer, I stopped into Borders and treated myself to some new books with my Christmas gift cards - that cheered me up a bit!  I also browsed the BOGOF clearance rack and got two for me and two for Ken.  He started one of them this week, Golf Dads by Curt Sampson, a book of essays about fathers, sons, and golf (right up his alley!)
• He has also started Under the Dome by Stephen King, a big undertaking at 1074 pages!  We've both been wanting to read that one.
• Jamie, 16, read The Books of Umber 2: Dragon Games by P.W. Catanese, a series he is really enjoying.  He wanted to re-read Book 1 first but couldn't find it.  Could it be we have too many books in this house??   He thinks he read another book this week but can't remember what it was.  Besides the computer problems, we had several snow days last week - things are just in turmoil around here!
• Today Jamie started The Islands of the Blessed by Nancy Farmer, the last book in the trilogy that began with The Sea of Trolls.
  
• Jamie is also reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald for his American Literature class.  Definitely an American classic.
  
• Craig, 13, is reading The Last Hunt by Bruce Coville, the fourth and final book in one of his all-time favorite series, The Unicorn Chronicles.

I guess that about covers it.  No reviews last week since I was without a computer for most of it, though I did have fun posting Top Ten Books I Wish I'd Read as a Kid during a brief hiatus in the internet black-out.  Hopefully, I can get back on track this week and catch up on some reviews (after I finish the 400 unread e-mails waiting for me!).  Wow, this post ended up being really long.  Sorry I was so chatty - I missed you guys!



What are you and your family reading this week?


(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.)

Back Soon (I Hope)

I've had very limited internet access all week due to problems with my computer.  After spending many hours at the Apple Store with some great Geniuses at the Genius Bar, we've come to the conclusion that the only option left is to erase the hard drive on my beloved MacBook and re-install the system from scratch (the likely cause is some corrupted files that are now affecting the system).  I'm in the process of backing up all my files which is taking forever because of the problems.  I'm writing this from my ancient e-Mac desktop (11 years and still going!), but I'm a bit limited here.


Just wanted to let you know why I'm not posting or visiting much.  Hopefully, I'll be back in shape before too long!

Top Ten Books I Wish I'd Read As a Kid

I always enjoy Top Ten Tuesdays, hosted by The Broke and The Bookish, though I don't always have the time to join in the fun.  This week's topic inspired me - Top Ten Books I Wish I'd Read As a Kid.

I read voraciously as a kid.  My mom jokes that if my head was in a book, I didn't even know what was going on around me (now my oldest son immerses himself in his reading the same way!).  I loved my Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden books, but I also read a lot of kid classics, like the Chronicles of Narnia series, A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels, Mary Poppins, Pippi Longstocking, The Wind in the Willows, The Little House books, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, and even my mom's old copy of The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew.  I loved them all!

Other kid classics I've read more recently as an adult, including all the Winnie the Pooh stories, The Phantom Tollbooth, and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland books.

So, to make this list, I referred to a List of Top 100 Children's Books that I posted last year here.  Here are my picks of Books I Wish I'd Read as a Child:

• Anne of Green Gables (never read but keep hearing about it)
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (I only knew the movie version starring Gene Wilder as a kid - still a favorite flick)
• My Side of the Mountain
• Island of the Blue Dolphins
• Where the Red Fern Grows
• The original Wizard of Oz books by Frank L. Baum
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
• Watership Down
• Anything by Jules Verne
• The Cricket in Times Square

I've seen movie versions of many of these but never read the books.  Wow, that was a tough list to make.  Turns out I've read lots and lots of childhood classics.  I tried to stick to books that were around when I was a kid and books I still haven't read as an adult, even though I could have included a bunch I've read with my own kids that I wish I had read myself as a kid, like The Indian in the Cupboard and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (I would have loved that one as a kid!).

Want to join in the fun?  What books do YOU wish you'd read as a kid?

It's Monday 1/24! What Are You Reading?

Happy Monday!  Wow, last week was a long one for me.  My husband was away the whole week, the kids were off school on Monday, plus we got two snow storms with two 2-hour delays for school (and no one here to do the shoveling!)  I really felt as if I did no work last week, just spent all my time trying to keep up.  We had a very nice, well-balanced weekend, though.  I got some things done around the house and cooked some nice meals but also took some time for fun.  I played games with my sons and went out to dinner ALONE with my husband - can't remember the last time we did that!

So, here we are...Monday again, with another snow storm predicted this week...and it's not even February yet!  We all did some good reading last week:

• I finished a book for my neighborhood book group this week, Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks.  Parts of it were slow-going for me because I know nothing at all about music, but some chapters were fascinating.  I'm interested to hear what everyone else thought at our meeting Wednesday.
• Now I'm reading Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.  I realize I must be the last person on earth to read this top-seller from 2009, but I'm just not normally into the paranormal romance genre.  Despite that, I was enticed by all the amazing reviews of this book, and so far, I'm enjoying it very much.
• I'm still listening to the audio book, The Three Weissmann's of Westport by Cathleen Schine and enjoying it  more and more.
  
• My husband, Ken, is reading Broken Prey by John Sandford, a paperback thriller he borrowed from his dad.
• Jamie, 16, re-read Leviathan this week, and then read Behemoth.  He enjoyed both very much.  He's having trouble picking his next book because there are so many here that he wants to read!  I think he and I will make a trip to Borders today to spend our Christmas gift cards.
• Craig, 13, gave up temporarily on the Ted Bell Time Pirate series - he was just having trouble getting into it, even though he loved the first book, Nick of Time.  Instead, he started his other Christmas gift, The Last Hunt by Bruce Coville.  The Unicorn Chronicles is his other favorite series, and so far, he's really enjoying this last book in the series.

Last week, I posted a review of Geraldine Brooks' Year of Wonders at my other book blog, Book By Book, and a review of Pendragon Book 10: Soldiers of Halla by D.J. MacHale, the final book in one of my favorite kid/teen series.


What are you and your family reading this week?


(What are you reading Mondays is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.)

Middle-Grade/Teen Review: Pendragon 10: Soldiers of Halla

On our recent trip to Oklahoma after Christmas, I absolutely devoured Pendragon #10: Soldiers of Halla by D.J MacHale.  Then, the moment I finished it, my 16-year old son snatched it up and read the 600-page book in less than 24 hours!

The Pendragon series has been one of our all-time favorites for years, and it obviously still holds that rank in our household.  This series finale did not disappoint.

The star of these books is Bobby Pendragon, a 14-year old boy living in Connecticut with his family at the start of the series, and an 18-year old young man who is responsible for the fate of the universe by the end.  In between, it's a fast-paced adventure through space and time to different Territories, peopled by a wide variety of beings, all united in a race against time to defeat evil, in whatever form it appears in their world.

I'm not going to say much about the plot of this particular book because the twists and turns are an integral part of the imaginative story, and I wouldn't want to ruin it for anyone who wants to read the series from the beginning...which I highly recommend!  My son and I were both very satisfied with the series ending and the answers it provided.  I couldn't wait for him to finish it, too, so we could talk about it!

Pendragon will appeal to older kids, teens, and adults who enjoy adventure, science fiction, or fantasy with an intricate, suspenseful plot that makes you keep turning the pages long past bedtime.  I couldn't wait to read the final book, but now I'm sorry that it's over.  I'll miss Bobby and his friends!  Give this series a try - you won't be sorry.

608 pages, Aladdin

It's Monday 1/17! What Are You Reading?

Happy Martin Luther King Day!  The kids are home from school today, recovering from Craig's 13th birthday party this weekend.  My husband took them and five friends snow-tubing, then the boys all slept over.  A wild weekend with a house full of teen boys!

Now that Craig's birthday is past, our extended holiday season is finally over.  Now it feels like the new year can finally begin!  Those January birthdays are tough.

Despite all the activity, we did find some time for reading this week:

• I quickly finished Gone by Lisa McMann.   I loved the first two books in the somewhat supernatural teen trilogy, Wake and Fade, and enjoyed this final book as well, though it was quite different from the first two.
• I'm now reading a book for my neighborhood book group next week, Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks.  I've always wanted to read something by Oliver Sacks, but this one is kind of dragging for me, probably because I'm not at all musically inclined and know very little about composing or playing music.  It's mildly interesting, but I'm craving a good bit of fiction now.  I'm sticking with it (though skimming a bit) in the interest of the book discussion.
• I'm still listening to the audio book, The Three Weissmann's of Westport by Cathleen Schine and enjoying it very much.
• My husband, Ken, is reading Nation by Terry Pratchett, a renowned teen sci-fi novel that our son has been telling both of us to read for a while now.  Ken is traveling this week, so he wanted a light paperback! 
• Jamie, 16, read The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby this week and loved it.  He finished it last night and said he wishes it were the start of a series but doesn't think it is give the ending (anyone know for sure?).  I asked him what he's going to read next, and he said, "I need more steampunk!"  He's planning to re-read Leviathan so he can read Behemoth next.
• Craig, 12 (oops - 13 now!), is doing something similar.  He set aside The Time Pirate: A Nick McIver Time Adventure by Ted Bell so that he could first re-read Nick of Time, the first book in the series.

Last week, I posted a review of the middle-grade/teen audio book, A Million Shades of Gray, a unique tale set in the jungles of Vietnam during the war.  I also posted about a reading challenge, Where Are You Reading 2011?

On my grown-up book blog, I posted a review last week of The Lovely Bones.


What are you reading this week?


(What are you reading Mondays is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.)

Where Am I Reading Challenge 2011

I don't normally sign up for challenges, just because I don't want any restrictions or limitations on what I choose to read (aside from the two book groups I belong to!).  This is one, hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, is different, though, and I haven't actually signed up for it completely...but it just sounds like fun!

The idea is to track the location settings of the books you read this year, marking them on a Google Map.  The actual challenge is to read a book from all 50 states, plus other countries.  I'm not going to choose books based on trying to get all 50 states, but I do plan to track Where I Am Reading this year and keep my Google Map up-to-date, jut for fun.

So, you can see my map at this link.   I'm still trying to finish up some reviews from the end of 2010, so my 2011 map only has two pins in it so far!

For more information on the challenge, take a look at this post from Book Journey.  Where are you reading??

Middle-Grade/Teen Review: A Million Shades of Gray

Our family always enjoys audio books on car trips, and we listened to a very different sort of story during our holiday trips to visit family.  A Million Shades of Gray by Cynthia Kadohata is set in Vietnam during the war in the 1970’s and presents a picture of a place and a time that none of us knew much about before listening.

Thirteen year-old Y’Tin wants to be an elephant trainer, and he is already well on his way as the youngest trainer in his village in the jungles of Vietnam.  He loves the elephants, especially Lady.  Here, at eleven, he learns that his mentor, fourteen year-old Tomas, will let him ride Lady into the village  that day:

Tomas looked at him thoughtfully.  “I think you want to be an elephant handler even more than I once did.”

“Sure thing,” Y’Tin said in English.  He had learned that from one of the American Special Forces soldiers his father knew.  The Americans had many words for “yes.”  “Sure,” “okay.,” “right,” “affirmative,” ”absolutely,” “yeah,” “check,” “roger that,” and “sure do, tennis shoe” came immediately to mind.

Y’Tin walked around to Lady’s trunk to have a talk with her.  “I’m going to ride you in today, Lady.  Behave yourself.”

As if in answer, Lady pushed him to the ground with her trunk.  And wouldn’t let him up.  It was embarrassing.  He tried to get away, but Lady was too strong.  “Tomas,” he said, “uh, can you help me?”

Soon after, the Americans pull out of Vietnam, and Y’Tin’s village and people are suddenly in danger from the North Vietnamese.  Y’Tin’s bravery is put to the test, as he must decide whether to stay with his people, held captive in his village, or try to escape into the jungle where he might be able to save the elephants.

Throughout the novel, Y’Tin’s relationship with Lady grows and develops into a special kind of trust, but Y’Tin’s friends and family are also dear to him, and he wants to protect all of them.  There are no easy choices.

This book is recommended for ages 9 – 12, and the audio actually says “8 and up” on the package, but we all agreed that some scenes would probably be too disturbing for the younger side of that range.  The novel takes place during a war and accurately depicts some of the terror and violence inherent in war, including the loss of people close to Y’Tin.  Of course, all kids are different in maturity level, but I’m guessing that 10 and up would be a bit more appropriate for an age recommendation, and certainly young teens will also enjoy this book. 

A Million Shades of Gray transports the reader to a unique place and time and shows an interesting perspective of how some of the Vietnamese people may have viewed American involvement in the war.  It’s also about growing up, within the distinctive environment Y’Tin lives, and about relationships and, of course, about the elephants themselves.  We all enjoyed this unusual tale.

Simon & Schuster Audio

 

It's Monday 1/10! What Are You Reading?

January 10, but today feels like the start of the new year to me.  Last week didn't count because my husband was home sick most of the week, and my chronic illness was flared up, keeping me on the couch.  This morning, everyone is at school and work, the house is quiet, I'm feeling better, and NOW I'm ready to start the new year!

The only good side to last week was plenty of reading time:

• I finished Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks for my library book discussion this week.  As with her other two novels I've read, March and People of the Book, it was fascinating and engaging.  It's about one woman's experience (and her English village) with the Plague in 1666.
• I knew exactly what book I wanted to read next:  Gone by Lisa McMann.  The paperback arrived last week, and I loved the first two books in the trilogy, Wake and Fade.  I already stayed up way too late last night reading it!
• I also started a new audio book, The Three Weissmann's of Westport by Cathleen Schine.  I heard about this novel last year on my favorite book podcast, Books on the Nightstand, so I grabbed it up when I saw it on my library's new release shelf last week.
• My husband, Ken, read a lot last week, since he was stuck at home with a bad cold.  He finished Bodies Left Behind by Jeffrey Deaver and said it was good but not one of Deaver's best.
• He also finished Roastbeef's Promise by David Jerome, an amusing road trip novel that I read last spring.
• Ken next read Behemoth, the middle-grade/teen sequel to Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld that I recently finished.  He's also enjoying this imaginative series very much.
• Finally, Ken read one of his Christmas gifts that he's been saving, Worth Dying For by Lee Child.  This is one of Ken's favorite authors, and he said he wanted to savor this latest release.  He just finished it last night.
• Jamie, 16, decided to read Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins finally, but first, he re-read Catching Fire to remind himself of exactly what happened in the second book.  He was completely engrossed in it for much of the weekend, to his brother's frustration!  He's in the middle of Mockingjay now.
• Craig, 12, is reading one of his Christmas gifts, The Time Pirate: A Nick McIver Time Adventure by Ted Bell, sequel to Nick of Time, one of Craig's all-time favorite books.

Last week, I posted reviews of Leviathan and Behemoth, plus a review of the audio book, Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris at my other blog, Book By Book.

I also posted a summary of my 2010 reading, for kids' and teen/YA books here and for grown-up books at Book By Book, and I posted my lists of Top Ten Kids/Teen/YA Books Read in 2010 and Top Ten Adult Books Read in 2010 at Book By Book.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Mondays is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.)

Top Ten Kids/Teen Books Read in 2010

I know you've all been waiting breathlessly for this...my list of Top Ten Kids/Teens Books I Read in 2010!  Note that these are books I read in 2010, not necessarily 2010 releases (though many are).  I had a very hard time narrowing down this list to only ten.  It was an excellent year for kids/teen/YA books.

Here are my Top Ten, in no particular order:

• Pendragon 9 and 10 by D.J. MacHale, one of my favorite kid/teen series of all time!
  
• Everwild by Neal Schusterman, sequel to Everlost
  
• The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo
  
• Unwind by Neal Schusterman
  
• Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (listened to on audio)
  
• Leviathan and Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
  
• Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
  
• The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
  
• Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel
  
• What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell
  
  

Let's see...we have two from Neal Schusterman - I love his fast-paced otherworldly adventures.   Two excellent series that straddle the middle-grade and teen markets:  Leviathan and Pendragon.  There are a couple of repeat series from my 2009 Top Ten List: Pendragon (told you it was a favorite) and the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy.  And, I have some sequels from this list to look forward to in 2011, the sequels to Behemoth, Incarceron (the Sapphique audio is waiting here for our next road trip!), and Everwild.

All in all, a very good year for kids' and teen books!

Check out my list of Top Ten Grown-up Books I Read in 2010 at Book By Book.

What were your favorite books from 2010?

Teen/YA Review: Leviathan and Behemoth

Leviathan and its sequel, Behemoth, by Scott Westerfeld, have been big hits so far in the YA book community.  My husband, my teenage son, and I are all thoroughly enjoying this exciting series set in a unique world.

The novels take place in an alternate reality during the time of World War I.  In this alternate place, the world is split into two main factions:  the Clankers and the Darwinists.  The Clankers, mainly Germany and Austria-Hungary, have enormous steam-driven machines, heavily armored and ready for battle.  The Darwinists, led by Britain and enabled by the early DNA research of Charles Darwin, have developed genetically modified animals as their “machines”.  The Leviathan is a living, breathing airship that is its own ecosystem, formed in part by a huge whale.

The two main characters of the series are young teens, each on separate sides of the growing conflict.  Deryn Sharp is a young girl, disguised as a boy, in the British Air Service.  She’s got excellent skills but is in constant danger of her secret being revealed.  Alek is the prince of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire but is on the run with a small crew of loyal men in their Stormwalker.

It’s an exciting, fast-paced story, filled with fascinating details of the bizarre technologies used by both sides, as the reader gets to know and care about both Deryn and Alek, whose paths eventually cross.

I listened to Leviathan on audio and read the written edition of Behemoth.  Although the audio was excellent, with convincing British and Austrian accents by the narrator, this is one case where I think I would recommend the written form.  The reason?  The spectacular illustrations in the books, drawn by Keith Thompson.  The detailed black and white drawings really add a lot to the story, especially in helping the reader to visualize some of the bizarre creations of the Darwinists and the Clankers.  I pored over every illustration eagerly and even referred often to the written book while I listened to the audio.

Kids and teens who love adventure, especially fans of steampunk, will love this thrilling series (though it’s classified as YA, I think older middle-grade readers will enjoy the series as well).  The hardcover editions are especially nice (you just can't help but run your hands over the textured covers) and would make a wonderful gift.  We can’t wait for the next book!

464 pages, Simon Pulse

     

Books Read in 2010

It's that time of year again: time to look back at the past year in review.

2010 was a good reading year for me.  I read a total of 81 books in 2010, including:

• 22 Middle-grade books (7 of these were audio books)
• 23 Teen/YA books (3 of these were audio)
• 36 grown-up books

If you're interested in the break-down of adult books I read, check out my post at Book By Book.

I read about the same number of books as in the previous year (just 4 less than in 2009).  I'm working on my Best of 2010 lists and hope to post those soon.

How was your reading year in 2010?

I'm looking forward to more good books in 2011!