Monday, September 26, 2011

It's Monday 9/26! What Are You Reading?

End of September already...and it still feels like summer here!  I'm ready for some real fall weather instead of this warm and humid stuff.  We had another busy week, though not as bad as the last few.  One of my sons was home sick for two days, and the other one was home sick all week, so we had lots of reading time:
  • I finished The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, a novel about the Vietnam war, though not in time for my book group discussion (I still went, though!).  It's an excellent book on a very difficult subject.
  • After that heavy read, plus the 1000-page book I read before it, I was ready for something short and light, and Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf by Jennifer L. Holm was perfect!  As the subtitle says, it's "a year told through stuff" - very creative and enjoyable.
  • Now, I am reading Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, in honor of Banned Books Week.  I haven't read it since I was a teen and had forgotten just how brilliant it is.
  • I finished a teen/YA audio, Bruiser, by one of my favorite YA authors, Neal Schusterman.
  • My husband, Ken, finished The Roar by Emma Clayton, a middle-grade sci fi adventure that our son recommended.  It's on my TBR shelf now.
  • Ken is now reading The Passage by Justin Cronin, based on my recommendation.  I'm already enjoying being able to talk to someone about it!
  • Jamie, 17, spent the week lying on the couch, so he read a lot.  He finished re-reading Brisingr by Christopher Paolini, in preparation for the final book to be released in November.
  • Next, Jamie read Goliath by Scott Westerfeld, the final book in the Leviathan trilogy.  This one will also pass through our entire family.
  • Jamie has resumed re-reading a favorite series by Tamora Pierce, The Immortals, with Book 3, Emperor Mage.
  • Finally, Jamie is reading Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit by Daniel Quinn for his World Lit class.  Ken and I both read it years ago; he's enjoying it so far.
  • Craig, 13, is reading The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman.
I posted a review of Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth last week, as well as my lists of Top Ten Books Everyone Has Read But Me, over at Book By Book and here at Great Books for Kids and Teens.  And, although it is rare for me, I also joined a challenge, Fall Into Reading Challenge.  You can read my list of grown-up books to read for the challenge, as well as another list of kids/teen books to read for the challenge.

What are you and your family reading this week?

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

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Things They Carried is such a great book, I read it in college and was blown away by it. I also loved the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld, though I haven't read Goliath yet.

Happy Reading!
megan @ Read It, See It

Sheila (Bookjourney) said...

You have me curious about that author you are listening to on audio Sue... I am not to favorite audio narrators yet but I am getting there ;)

Sue Jackson said...

Megan - I really enjoyed The Things They Carried, too - "blown away by it" is a good description! I've read Leviathan and Behemoth, but my son is the only one in our house so far to read Goliath.

Sue

Sue Jackson said...

Sheila -

I have loved everything by Neal Schusterman - he wrote Unwind and the Everlost series, both favorites of mine.

This one was quite different but still good. The audio used multiple narrators which was very effective. I hope to write a review later this week.

Sue