It's Monday 10/31! What Are You Reading?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Like many of you, we actually saw snow this weekend, in October!  Crazy!  Fortunately, we only got a dusting and didn't lose power - my thoughts are with those of you in New England without power.  Hope you have a roaring fire in the fireplace and a nice stack of books to keep you warm.

We love Halloween here, so today is a busy day.  We carved pumpkins last night and (finally) came up with costume ideas....kind of last-minute!  Even though our sons are teens, they still enjoy trick-or-treating, and our whole family gets into the fun.  Jamie decided to dress as Thing 1 for school today (with a friend as Thing 2), so Ken immediately started in on a Cat in the Hat costume for himself.  I have to hit the store today for a nightgown so I can be Cindy Lou Who.  A bookish theme for Halloween - fun!

Meanwhile, we did find time for reading last week:

• I finished The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch, a newly released teen/YA post-apocalyptic novel that my husband recently read.  I really enjoyed this multi-dimensional novel; you can read my review here.
• I decided to keep up my October theme of fun, quick reads, so I am now reading Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich.  I just love Stephanie Plum and was already laughing in the first chapter!  Sometimes, you need a little light-hearted fun.
• I finished listening to Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love and the Search for Home, a memoir by Kim Sunee.  Though it dragged a bit in the middle when she was suffering from depression, I enjoyed it overall.
• My husband, Ken, is reading a thriller I gave him for his birthday, The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo, a Norwegian author who has been compared to Stieg Larsson.  He says it just gets better and better and has a very intriguing plot.
• Jamie, 17, finished Blood Red Road by Moira Young, a much-anticipated new post-apocalyptic novel and loved it.  That one is high on my own TBR list, though Jamie has made me promise I will read Roar by by Emma Clayton next. 
• Next, Jamie re-read the first two books in a favorite series, The Gatekeepers by Anthony Horowitz, so he could read the third book which he recently purchased.  He read Book 1, Raven's Gate; Book 2, Evil Star; and Book 3, Night Rise.  He says this series is great!
• Jamie is also reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini for his World Lit class. 
• Craig, 13, is almost finished with Woodsong, a memoir by Gary Paulsen, author of one of our favorite novels, Hatchet and its sequels.

I posted two reviews this week, of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley here and of  The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch at Great Books for Kids and Teens.


I also posted a discussion of skimming books versus reading every word for the Fall Into Reading Challenge.



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


Hope you have a great Halloween and a good reading week!  Any other book-inspired costumes out there?

Ready for school! (Their hair is blue, though it doesn't show here)

Teen/YA Review: The Eleventh Plague

The fall book catalogs for kids and teens were filled with dystopian and post-apocalyptic novels, thanks in great part to the success of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games trilogy.  My husband, 17-year old son, and I all enjoy these kinds of novels when they are done well, and this is the first of several that we plan to read this fall.  My husband and I both enjoyed The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch (our son hasn’t read it yet).

The novel opens in a post-apocalyptic America that has been devastated and destroyed by horrific wars, two-thirds of its population killed by a deadly flu-type virus nicknamed the Eleventh Plague.  Fifteen-year old Stephen Quinn wanders up and down the country with the seasons, accompanied by his father and harsh, military-trained grandfather.  They live as salvagers, struggling to find and trade for the necessities they need to survive another day and trying to avoid bands of violent Slavers and what is left of the military.

When Stephen’s grandfather dies and his father is injured, Stephen and his dad eventually find their way to a hidden community called Settler’s Landing.  Here, the people live much as they did before The Collapse – in houses, with schools and holiday celebrations and even baseball.  Stephen has never experienced this kind of life, and he is torn between returning to what he has always known and accepting this new life that seems too good to be true.  Of course, there is a girl involved, too: Jenny, a strong-willed, self-imposed outcast among her own people.  When a disaster occurs for which Stephen feels responsible, he must choose whether to run or stay and help his new community.

I was pulled into this novel right from the first chapters and finished it in a few days.  The characters are well drawn and real, the new landscape and situations intriguing, with plenty of action and suspense thrown in to move things along.  I was rooting for Stephen and for Jenny.  The beginning of the novel seems pretty grim, as do all post-apocalyptic stories, but there are elements of hope for a better future introduced along the way.  I thoroughly enjoyed this first novel by Jeff Hirsch and look forward to seeing what he comes up with next.

278 pages, Scholastic

NOTE: This book is classified as YA, but I think that older middle-grade readers will like it also if they generally enjoy post-apocalyptic novels.  There is, of course, some violence in it and some very mild romance.

It's Monday 10/24! What Are You Reading?

Well, it is now truly fall here - the weather has cooled down, and it seems as though the tress suddenly turned from all green to a riot of colors.  I love this time of year!  We made our annual trip to the pumpkin farm this weekend to pick out our pumpkins and gorge ourselves on still-warm, homemade donuts and fresh cider....oh, my gosh!  I forgot I have a leftover donut....ah...that's better! Mmmm...cinnamon-sugar donuts and typing don't mix well.


OK, I'm back.  Anyway, here's what we read last week:

• I finished The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley and thoroughly enjoyed it.  It's like Nancy Drew for grown-ups.  I want to be Flavia when I grow up.
• I am now reading The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch, a newly released teen/YA post-apocalyptic novel that my husband recently read.  I really like it so far.  It's a bit like The Road, only not nearly as dismal and hopeless.
• My husband, Ken, is reading a thriller I gave him for his birthday, The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo, a Norwegian author who has been compared to Stieg Larsson.  He likes it so far, though he says the translation is sometimes a bit rough.
• Jamie, 17, finished his Dad's old favorite fantasy series, The Belgariad by David Eddings with Book Five: Enchanter's End Game, the last book in the series.
• Jamie was home sick all last week, so he treated himself to a book he's really wanted to read, Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare.  He loved the Mortal Instruments series and has been looking forward to this prequel series.  He and I listened to the beginning of this book on audio, but he said he preferred to read it.
• Now, Jamie is reading Blood Red Road by Moira Young, a much-anticipated new post-apocalyptic novel.  He says it's good so far, though he doesn't like the author's convention of not using quotation marks for dialogue.  This one is on my TBR list, too.
• Craig, 13, is reading Woodsong, a memoir by Gary Paulsen, author of one of our favorite novels, Hatchet and its sequels.  He's enjoying it, though he says it's not as good as Paulsen's fiction.

Last week, I posted a review of a new picture book, M.O.M.: Mom Operating Manual.  I don't normally review picture books anymore, but this one was unique!


I also posted a recap and photo from my book group's meeting with author Rachel Simon, which we all thoroughly enjoyed, and a discussion of how many books we have in our house, with pictures of our overflowing bookcases!


What are you and your family reading this week?


Ooh...now I have a bit of a sugar-rush headache from that donut, but it was so worth it!


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

Picture Book Review: M.O.M. – Mom Operating Manual

I rarely review picture books anymore – after all, my owns sons are both teens now – but I just couldn’t resist taking a look at M.O.M: Mom Operating Manual.  It was written by picture book superstar Doreen Cronin, author of such fun classics as Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, with illustrations by Laura Cornell, who has illustrated many #1 New York Times bestsellers.  The combination is a book that appeals as much to parents as to kids!

Right from the first pages, you know this book will be a winner:

Introduction:

It is widely accepted that mothers are the most advanced human models on the planet.  They are capable of superhuman energy, strength, patience, and creativity.

They come in many shapes and sizes.

They have various talents and skills, like cooking, singing, sewing, Olympic athleticism, and neurosurgery.

Years of research, observation, and time-outs have given science some very important guidance on the necessary maintenance and care of mothers for optimal performance.  If you handle them correctly, tend to their basic needs (which are minimal), and refer to the care manual with regularity, your mom should be operating at peak performance for years to come.

Of course, this tongue-in-cheek text is accompanied by Cornell’s fabulous illustrations.  That last paragraph is illustrated with a mom picture ala Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, complete with multiple limbs, various multi-tasking accompaniments, and kids hanging on.  I really enjoyed this book, even though my kids are way beyond the picture book age.  The text is incredibly clever and funny, and every time I pick it up, I catch new little details in the illustrations that I missed the first time.

I was looking for some sample illustrations I could share with you, but instead I found a video that I think is even better.  This will give you an idea of the tone and quality of the book:

This book is sure to be a hit, with both kids and overworked moms in need of some good laughs!  It would make a great gift.

P.S. After perusing the illustrations, I am afraid I probably alternate between the Pleasant Yet Fried Around the Edges Mom and the Barely Upright But Still Functioning Mom!

54 pages, Atheneum (Simon & Schuster)

It's Monday 10/17! What Are You Reading?

Ah!  It finally feels like fall here - I am loving the sunshine and cooler weather.  Sweatshirt weather!

Another busy week around here (aren't they all when you have teenagers?), but we did take some time this weekend to relax together.  As always, we enjoyed our books this week:

• I finished Forever by Maggie Stiefvater...which means I finished the trilogy, finally!  I really enjoyed it.  Check out my review of the last two books, Linger and Forever.
• I am now reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley, another book I've been meaning to read for a very long time.  I'm enjoying it so far - it's very clever.
• My husband, Ken, finished The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch, a newly released teen/YA post-apocalyptic novel.  He said it was good, a little dark (but then, post-apocalyptic novels tend to be dark - it does take place, after all, after an apocalypse!).
• Now he is reading a thriller I gave him for his birthday, The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo, a Norwegian author who has been compared to Stieg Larsson.  Ken says he's still at the beginning, just trying to keep the characters straight!
• Jamie, 17, is still reading his Dad's old favorite fantasy series, The Belgariad by David Eddings. He has finished Book Three: Magician's Gambit and Book Four: Castle of Wizardry and is now moving onto Book Five: Enchanter's End Game, the last book in the series.  He has really enjoyed this!
• Craig, 13, is reading Woodsong, a memoir by Gary Paulsen, author of one of our favorite novels, Hatchet and its sequels.

Last week, I posted reviews of two books: When Parents Text: So Much Said, So Little Understood, a hilarious book, at Book by Book and Linger and Forever  here.  I also posted a link to a Today Show interview (and kids' review) with Brian Selzniak, author of Wonderstruck and a discussion of reading on devices versus traditional books.


What are you and your family reading this week?


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

Teen/YA Reviews: Linger and Forever

 Let’s be clear about this from the outset: I am not a big fan of the trendy paranormal romance genre.  I have nothing against it; it’s just not really my thing.  So, it took me a long time to finally break down and read Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater because I heard it was about werewolves, and I had no interest in it at all.  All the fabulous reviews, though, finally wore me down, and, like everyone else, I loved it.  I have just finished tearing through the last two books of the trilogy, Linger and Forever, and I thoroughly enjoyed those as well. 

This is a series that transcends its genre, with well-written prose, an engaging and creative plot, and in-depth likeable characters that captured my heart.  In case you’ve been living in a cave for the past few years and haven’t read Shiver yet (not that I’m judging – I had to be convinced, too!), the trilogy is basically a love story, with elements of suspense and adventure. 

At the start of the trilogy, Grace is an older teen living in northern Minnesota who has been obsessed with wolves since she was a child.  She watches the pack that live in the Boundary Woods behind her house with fascination and longing, and she is particularly captivated by one wolf with yellow eyes who once saved her life.  During the warmer months (which isn’t many in northern Minnesota), that wolf with the yellow eyes is actually a quiet teenage boy named Sam who works in her favorite bookstore.

I don’t want to say much more about the plot in case you haven’t read Shiver yet because it is so much fun to discover for yourself.  Linger and Forever follow the story of Grace and Sam through many ups and downs to a final tense but satisfying conclusion.  The amazing thing about this trilogy is that somehow the author makes it all so believable and so real.  I had no trouble suspending my skepticism as teens and young adults changed from wolves to humans and back again.  There is nothing stale or trite about these books, and I don’t even like calling it a werewolf story because it is so much more.  In fact, I keep wanting to say, “These books aren’t about werewolves; they’re about people who turn into wolves.”

The reader gains insight into the real lives of these characters – their pains, their joys, their hopes and their dreams – as we are pulled into the story.  Sam’s love of music and poetry help us to understand his deepest feelings.  Stiefvater is a wonderful writer; she made me care about Sam and Grace and their friends.  There is plenty of suspense and tension in all three books, as the people and wolves battle not only their uncontrollable transformations but also a town of angry parents who want to hunt the entire pack after a teen is killed by wolves.  Just take my word for it – read it and you won’t be sorry!

Linger, 362 pages and Forever, 386 pages; Scholastic 

P.S. Just a brief word about the books themselves.  I was disappointed in the production quality of my paperback copy of Linger.  The text is printed in green ink, which would have been OK except that some pages were dark and some were so light they were hard to read.   The pages of the paperback were also bound roughly so it was hard to open all the way.  In contrast, the hardcover copies I read of both Shiver and Forever were very high quality and readable, even though the ink in Forever is a dark reddish-brown.

       

Today Show Features Wonderstuck

I caught Al's Book Club on the Today Show this morning.  The book selection was Brian Selzniak's new novel, Wonderstruck, which I am dying to read.  I keep hearing good things about it, and the kids on the Today Show seemed to enjoy it, too.  I still haven't gotten around to reading Hugo Cabret, so I don't want to miss this one.  Its size is a bit intimidating since I've been so busy, but half of it is pictures, so I think I can handle it.

You can watch the video from the Today Show, in which the author answers kids' questions, or read the text of the interview at this link.

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

We finally had a few gorgeous days here that actually felt like fall....but now it is in the mid-80-'s again!  I was able to get outside and take some walks last week, so that was wonderful.  These cool nights make me yearn to go camping, but it's such a busy fall for us, with college preparations as well as all the usual stuff, that I'm not sure when we'll be able to squeeze it in.  We spent all day Sunday touring the campus at Rowan University.

Still, we always find time for reading:

• I finished Linger by Maggie Stiefvater and immediately moved onto Forever, the final book in the trilogy.  I think procrastination paid off because it was fun to be able to jump right into the next book!
• I finished When Parents Text: So Much Said, So Little Understood by Lauren Kaelin and Sophia Fraioli. I admit it - I read it in the bathroom!  It's actually the perfect bathroom book...and so funny!!
• I am still listening to Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love and the Search for Home, a memoir by Kim Sunee, and enjoying it very much.  My poor little '92 VW has been sitting in the garage lately because whenever I go out, I want to listen to more of this audio, so I take the newer car that has a CD player and iPod dock!  Don't worry, little red car, I haven't forgotten you!
  
• Ken, finished reading The Passage by Justin Cronin and enjoyed it very much.  He sort of missed the hint on the last page that there will be a sequel, so when I pointed that out to him, he said, "What??  There's another one?!"  It is a long book, but well worth the time it takes to read it.
• Ken was looking for a quick book to read before his upcoming business trip, so I suggested The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch, a newly released teen/YA post-apocalyptic novel.  He's the first one on our house to try this new novel.
• Jamie, 17, was back in school last week, so he had less reading time.  He is continuing to read his Dad's old favorite series, The Belgariad by David Eddings.  He finished Book Two: Queen of Sorcery and moved onto Book Three: Magician's Gambit.  He's enjoying this classic fantasy series very much.
• Jamie is also reading Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit by Daniel Quinn for his World Lit class.
• Craig, 13, started a new book, Woodsong, a memoir by Gary Paulsen.  His novel, Hatchet, and all of its sequels are old favorites in our house, and Craig is enjoying the memoir.

I posted two new reviews last week, The Things They Carried, a Vietnam War novel by Tim O'Brien, and Bruiser, a teen/YA audio by Neal Schusterman.  Both were excellent.


I also posted a discussion of re-reading books for the Fall Into Reading Challenge and my Books Read in September summary.


What are you and your family reading this week?


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

Teen/YA Review: Bruiser

I love Neal Schusterman’s creepy and creative novels (especially Unwind and the Everlost trilogy), so as soon as I saw Bruiser, a Schusterman audio on the library’s Teen New Releases shelf, I scooped it up. It was different from the others I’ve read but still very compelling.

Bruiser is the nickname of a teen loner named Brewster who was named “Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty” by his fellow classmates. Rumors abound about Brewster’s background and life because no one really knows him. That changes when a girl named Brontë talks to him in the library and begins dating him. Brontë’s twin brother, Tennyson (their parents are English teachers!), is not too happy to find out his sister is dating “the Bruiser.” But as both Brontë and Tennyson get to know Brewster better, they discover there is far more to him than their classmates know, and they even begin to learn some of the secrets that he has worked so hard to keep from the outside world.

Different chapters are told from the perspective of different characters, providing multiple points of view throughout the story. The audio production is excellent, read by multiple narrators in a very effective way. But it’s more than just different voices. Schusterman has written the different character’s perspectives in totally different styles. Brewster’s chapters, for instance, have a darker, intense quality, with short, alliterative sentences and an almost poetic tone (Brewster enjoys poetry).

There are some disturbing scenes in the novel, including violence and abuse; it is definitely darker than his other novels and more appropriate for older teens. And, of course, there is Schusterman’s typical supernatural twist to the story, though the rest of the elements of the story are firmly based in reality. This is a darker and more thoughtful novel than his others, with a focus on the intricacies of family and love. I found it completely engrossing.

Quill Tree Books

Brilliance Audio

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.

 

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.

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible.

 

Or get this audiobook from Libro.fm and support local bookstores.

 

You can buy the book through Bookshop.org, where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local!

It's Monday 10/3! What Are You Reading?

Wow, October already?  It finally feels like fall here, after a very wet, warm, humid September.  Once again, not much blogging time last week.  Our oldest son has been suffering through a severe flare-up of his chronic illnesses, so we have sort of been in crisis mode around here lately.  He's back in school this morning, and we are making some changes to his medications, so we are hoping October will be better.  We just have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, as always, our books bring all of us comfort during trying times:

• I finished Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and loved it (again).  I intended to post a review of it for Banned Books Week, but things really fell apart here at the end of the week.  I will get to it this week.  It's such a clever book...and so ironic that it was banned!
• I am now (finally) reading Linger by Maggie Stiefvater - pure fun escapism which is exactly what I needed!
• I am also reading (I admit it...in the bathroom!) When Parents Text: So Much Said, So Little Understood by Lauren Kaelin and Sophia Fraioli.  A fellow book blogger passed it along to me, and it is hilarious!!  I keep reading texts out loud to my husband and sons.
• And I am listening to Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love and the Search for Home, a memoir by Kim Sunee, and am thoroughly enjoying it.
• My husband, Ken, is reading The Passage by Justin Cronin and enjoying it.  It's fun to have someone to talk to about it now, but it's hard not to give too much away!
• Jamie, 17, was home sick most of the week, so he read a lot.  He read The Last Apprentice: Rise of the Huntress (#7) by Joseph Delaney, the latest in a favorite series.
• Next, he read a brand-new book he picked out at the bookstore a few weeks ago - not part of a familiar series for a change!  He thoroughly enjoyed The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima.
• Then, he finally began an old fantasy series that is one of his Dad's favorites, The Belgariad by David Eddings.  He said Book One: Pawn of Prophecy was a bit slow until the end, but the action has really picked up now in Book Two: Queen of Sorcery.  Ken has been trying to convince him to read this series for ages!
• Craig, 13, has been reading The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman.  He is taking an AR test on it at school today, so he'll be switching to a new book this week. 

 
I posted just one review last week, Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf by Jennifer L. Holm.  I also wrote two lists, Top Ten Books I Want to Reread at Book By Book and Top Ten Kids/Teen Books I Want to Reread.

What are you and your family reading this week?

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