#44--Why I Fight by J. Adams Oaks

I try to balance out my reading so that I read books that boys will like as well as books girls/both genders would like, which is why I picked up today's post...more than a month ago.  I finally finished it last night, simply because I forced myself to finish it.  I started out hopeful that it would be a good read, but after about a week of trying to plow through it (and it isn't a book big enough to warrant plowing-through), I put it down and read several other books in the meantime. 

After years of neglect by his parents, 12-year-old Wyatt finally has enough and when his shifty uncle comes to town, Wyatt eagerly joins Uncle Spade on the road.  Spade is a traveling salesman of sorts--he'll sell just about anything, and it doesn't matter if it's legal or not.  Eventually, as Wyatt gets bigger, Spade decides that Wyatt should train as a fighter--it will be easy money for Spade and he figures it will keep Wyatt out of trouble at the same time (not that Wyatt was ever a trouble maker).  Spade's only rule is "never fight for free."  After 6 years on the road with Spade, Wyatt finally has enough (he hasn't gone to school all this time because of all the traveling they did) and goes off to find his parents to confront them about how they treated him. 

Overall, it wasn't a bad story.  My biggest problem with it is the structure....anytime there is dialog, it is difficult to know and keep track of exactly who is saying what....

I've discovered that anytime I read a book where it is set up in this way (no names attached to dialog), I struggle with the book.  I wonder how I would have reacted to this story if it had a traditional structure to it....  Oh well....another book is on the horizon....

Happy Reading!!

#43--Ungifted by Gordon Korman

Gordon Korman makes me laugh.  Everything I've read of his has, at some point, made me laugh out loud....sometimes even to the point of a snort :).  I grabbed this title off the new books pile last week and as soon as I finished The Fault in Our Stars, I picked up Ungifted, looking for a good laugh after a sobering, cancer-kid book.  And it didn't disappoint!  I found myself giggling through much of the first 100 pages yesterday and today there were even more giggles as I finished it.

Donovan Curtis is not known for thinking through his actions, which is what put him in detention in the first place.  Having been sent to the principal's office for a spitball incident with his two best friends, the Daniels, the PA microphone was too much of a temptation and he broadcast to the entire school "Our fans are great; our team is nifty!  We're going to get blown out by fifty!"  Not the best idea in the world on the day of the big game.  After sitting through much of detention, the Daniels help Donovan sneak out of the last ten minutes when the teacher leaves the room.  As he is running for freedom, he suddenly has the unstoppable urge to smack the statue of Atlas on the butt with a large branch....which snaps the single corroded bolt holding the earth on Atlas's shoulders, and sends it careening for the gym, where the big game is taking place.

As the globe is on a collision course, there isn't much Donovan can do to stop it.  Unfortunately for Donovan, the district Superintendent, Dr. Schultz, happened to be at the game and he caught Donovan, who he proceeds to haul off to his office for interrogation.  Fortunately for Donovan, Dr. Schultz is called back to the scene of the crime and he sends Donovan home for the night.  Little does Donovan know that Dr. Schultz has accidentally included Donovan's name on the list of students being recommended for the Academy of Scholastic Distinction. 

When Donovan gets the letter saying that he is being sent to ASD, he sees it as a golden opportunity to keep a low profile and out of Dr. Schultz line of sight.  It is apparent early on to his teachers and his fellow students that Donovan is not actually gifted, and no one is really sure why or how he came to be at ASD.  Over the course of the next month, Donovan makes friends and works hard at keeping his cover.  But what will happen when Dr. Schultz finds out where Donovan is hiding out? 

This story is told in alternating chapters between several different characters--something that Korman is rather adept at.  I typically enjoy seeing the same story from different angles from within the story itself. 

This title will definitely be added to the book talk rotation and I think that a few more copies will be making their way to the shelves in the library as well.

Happy Reading!!

#42--The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 

 

Much like books with dogs as the main characters, books about kids with cancer can really only end one way....and The Fault in Our Stars follows that credo, just not in the way I expected.  My brother-in-law gave me John Green's The Fault in Our Stars several months ago and when I finally picked it up last week, I couldn't put it down (unfortunately life got in the way and forced me to set it down several times). 

 

Hazel has been terminal since she was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 13, but thanks to a miracle drug, Phalanxifor, she has had an additional three years she wasn't expecting to get.  Her mom, fearing that Hazel is depressed and without friends, forces her to go to Support Group--Hazel would much rather be watching America's Next Top Model (heck, she'd rather be doing a lot of things) than attending Support Group.  But at this particular meeting she meets Augustus Waters. 

 

Augustus and Hazel fall in love over the course of the story, as they are of the few who really gets what the other is going through.  One of Hazel's passions is the the book An Imperial Affliction by Peter Van Houten, an American recluse living in Amsterdam.  Augustus manages arrange for his "wish," provided by The Genie Foundation, to be used to take Hazel to Amsterdam to meet Mr. Van Houten.  This meeting does not go the way either of them had envisioned....all Hazel wants is to know what happened to the characters in the story after it abruptly ended.  I'll leave it at that....don't want to give away the end to all those who haven't picked this up yet--which I highly recommend that you do!

 

I found myself both laughing and tearing up at different points in this story.  And this one is definitely going on my wish list for the library!!

 

Happy Reading!!

#41--Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian

When I ordered this book for the library last spring, it intrigued me, so I was rather excited to see it come back in last Tuesday when I was looking for a quick easy read.  It was a good escapist read for the middle of the week.  :)

Megan Meade is an army brat; she has lived all over the world, and she's tired of it.  She has finally found her place on the varsity soccer team at her latest school in Texas and even has a best friend.  When her parents come home and announce they are moving....to South Korea, Megan puts her foot down.  There is no way she is moving.  Her parents give her the option of going to live in Boston with her father's friend from med school, John McGowan, who, along with his wife, Regina, have seven boys....yes, seven.  Megan remembers them from the last time she saw them, about 9 years ago, and cringes.  But decides that living with seven boys has to be better than moving to South Korea, so she takes the plunge.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, however you want to look at it), the McGowan boys Megan remembers are all grown up--and they look like they could have stepped out of an Abercrombie ad.  Megan has to deal with the antics of the younger boys and her attraction for one of the older boys--who happens to be dating her competition on the soccer team!

Over the course of the first few weeks in Boston, Megan makes the soccer team, is able to pull Miller (the McGowan son who has Asperger's) out of his shell, makes friends (and enemies), gets grounded for the first time ever, and even saves the butt of one of her new "brothers".

Some of the timing in the book make the events a little unbelievable (like being able to befriend Miller in a matter of days), but overall, it was a cute, quick read.  There were even a few times when I found myself quietly giggling to myself.

Happy Reading!!

#40--Borderline by Allan Stratton

The weather today when I left school was wet, dreary, and downright miserable.  Which made me want to curl up with a good book.

Sami Sabiri is first-generation Iranian-American.  His father fled his homeland as a child and grew up in Canada.  Sami's dad is strict and has high expectations for his son.  Expectations that Sami doesn't find all that easy to live up to.  He is the only Muslim student at his private school, which he refers to as Academy Hell because of the bullying he goes through at the hands of Eddy, a football player with a father who covers a multitude of sins with his checkbook.

Sami's dad has invited him on a trip to Toronto that will be combined with a business trip, a nice father-son getaway.  But at the last minute, he has to cancel the plans for Sami to join him.  Not only does this make Sami mad, but it also makes him suspicious that maybe his dad is having an affair. 

Several nights after his father returns from Toronto, Sami is webcam-chatting with his two best friends, Marty and Andy (who lives across the street).  Andy reports to Sami that there are people dressed in black, with dogs, outside Sami's house.  Sami goes to investigate, thinking that Eddy and his cronies have actually followed through with their threats toward him.  Instead, the FBI bursts into the house and hauls Dr. Sabiri out of the house in handcuffs and separates Sami and his mom for hours, questioning them, and destroys their house and much of their belongings.

It takes a while for the Sabiris and their lawyer to find out where Dr. Sabiri is being held and what the charges are.  In the meantime, the arrest of a research director (Dr. Sabiri) at a lab that stores anthrax, smallpox, and other viruses and linked to an alleged terrorist group, the Brotherhood of Martyrs, is all over the news.  The only person linked to the terrorist cell who was not arrested was the alleged leader, Tariq Hasan.  Despite their strained relationship, Sami takes it upon himself to try to prove his father's innocence, at any cost.

This story had me hooked from the very beginning and I couldn't wait to see how it ended.  There were a few surprises in store that I didn't see coming, which is always a refreshing change.  This is definitely going on my list of recommendations for my students.  It is a ripped-from-the-headlines story that will hopefully make them think.

Happy Reading!!!

#39--Eighth Grade is Making Me Sick: Ginny Davis's Year in Stuff by Jennifer L. Holm

As I was catching up on my cataloging this afternoon, this title caught my eye. The story of Ginny's 8th grade year is told through stuff--there are sticky notes, poems, journal entries, grocery lists, report cards, hand-drawn comic strips, homework assignments, bank statements, and STUFF. Over the course of the year, Ginny's family moves (twice), her mom has a baby, her older brother wreaks havoc, she writes lots of poems--for class assignments, her step-Bob loses his job, and Ginny survives 8th grade with her sense of humor still intact.

This was a cute and sometimes funny story and I think my students will like it. It was a quick, easy read and the graphics made it entertaining.  I may have to go back and re-read it, just in case I missed something.  :) 

Happy Reading!!

#38--The Exeter Blitz by David Rees

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/england/exeter-cathedral **

As I tend to dedicate much of my reading to historical fiction, I try to read about events that I don't always know much about.  Today's book is an example.  I have always heard about the Blitz occurring in London during WWII, and that there were other places that were bombed as well.  However, I was not aware that the Blitz was carried out far to the eastern side of London.  After the British destroyed the German port of Lubeck (of which there was very little point other than to try out new weapons), known for very little except its beauty and antiquity, Hitler was furious and then ordered the destruction of similar British cities: Norwich, Canterbury, York, Bath, and Exeter. 

The Exeter Blitz follows one fictional family as they experience and then survive the night of May 3-4, 1942.  The story is told from each family member's point of view at different times, which gives it a different feel.  I enjoyed learning about a specific event that I was not previously familiar with and this was a quick (128 pages), easy read.  This will be added to my list of recommendations when my students are looking for a WWII novel that is not specifically about the front or the Holocaust, so that they can get a sense of what it might have been like to live through an air raid as intensive as the bombing that destroyed much of Exeter, but, miraculously, left much of its famous cathedral in tact.

Happy Reading!!

**"Exeter Cathedral ." Exeter Cathedral. Sacred Destinations, 30 July 2010. Web. 09 Oct. 2012. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/england/exeter-cathedral.

#37--Deadly by Julie Chibbaro

A few years ago a friend introduced me to podcasts.....and I was hooked.  There are a number of ones I try to listen to regularly and most of them have to do with history---surprised, right?  One of my favorites is Stuff You Missed in History Class from How Stuff Works.  A while back there was one about Typhoid Mary (you can listen to the podcast by clicking on Mary's name), and I found it to be very interesting.  I had heard the name thrown around growing up, but I didn't know too much about her.  I enjoyed learning about her story and more about the nickname. 

Today's book, Deadly, takes a another look at Typhoid Mary's story, from the point of view of a young assistant working on the case for the Department of Health and Sanitation in New York City.  Prudence Galewski has left school to take a job as an assistant in a laboratory that is investigating a typhoid fever outbreak.  Prudence finally feels like she is doing something to help people since she was unable to save either her father from going to war or her brother from dying.  Along the way, Prudence learns many things, both about life and about herself.

As the story is told from Prudence's point of view, we only see Mary through her eyes, but we also get a glimpse of how the public viewed Mary and the case through newspaper articles and Prudence's comments about what others say and do regarding the case.  I felt that the story was presented very well and in a way that the audience might be able to grasp the idea of a healthy person being a carrier of a possibly deadly disease....I know that is something that I sometimes wonder how it could have happened/does happen.  Typhoid Mary is considered to be a medical mystery as there doesn't seem to be any evidence that she ever showed symptoms of typhoid.

This was a good read and I think I may have to add it to my list of books I book talk for my students!

Happy Reading!!

#36--Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

On the first day of his senior year of high school, Greg Gaines thinks he has survived the day intact and unobserved--about as good as he can expect from high school, so, not a bad day.  Within hours of getting home, his mom drops a bomb on him....a girl he knows from Hebrew school has cancer...and his mom wants him to spend time with her.  Can you say awkward?  Greg and Rachel aren't really friends, but there is no way his mom is backing down on this one.  Greg and Rachel start hanging out and eventually Greg's only other friend, Earl, enters the picture.  Earl and Greg are amateur filmmakers, but refuse to let anyone else see what they have created....until Earl offers their movies up to Rachel as a way to try to cheer her up.  Everything snowballs from there.

This is probably my least favorite book I've read all year so far.  It started out with promise--I actually laughed out loud during the first few pages.  But gratuitous use of off-color language pretty quickly turned me off....and I didn't really like any of the characters but Rachel by the end of the book, and Rachel wasn't really that fleshed out....so that tells you how much I really didn't like the rest of the cast.  I actually contemplated putting it down and not finishing it after about 75 pages, but decided to slog through it in the hopes that it would improve.  Unfortunately, that never happened.  :(

#35--In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth

Yet another book that I purchased several years ago to preview for my library has finally made it to my "READ" shelf!  (yes, that does say years)

In a Heartbeat is told in alternating voices: that of Eagan, an energetic and enthusiastic young figure skater who has died in a tragic on-ice accident and is stuck in the in-between and that of Amelia, a contemplative young artist awaiting a heart transplant.  Once Amelia receives her new heart, she begins to have new thoughts and experiences and desires that she never had before....she wants a purple lollipop (Amelia hates purple, but it was Eagan's favorite color).  Eagan's chapters are spent looking back on her life and thinking about things that were said and what was left unsaid.  Amelia's chapters are spent thinking about who her donor could have been and how she (Amelia) is different now with her new heart.  Will Amelia get to thank her donor's parents?  Will Eagan's parents be willing to meet Amelia?  Will Amelia's body accept the donor heart?

There is closure for both characters, but there are also strings left open to interpretation, which I really liked in this story. 

There are very few books written on organ donation for teens (at least, not many I could find in my quick search on Amazon), so this definitely fills a niche in YA lit, and it is worth the read.

Happy Reading!!

#34--Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

I am a part of the book club at my school, but am rarely able to attend the meetings, which means that I often don't read the books until months later.  Such is the case with Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, which was one of our books last year, but I only just read it yesterday.  The thing that intrigued me the most was the creepy pictures in this book, like the cover below where the girl is levitating off the ground by a few inches.

The author has incorporated quite a few of these pictures throughout the story with explanations for them....

Growing up, Jacob Portman's grandfather (Abe) told him fantastical stories about growing up on a magical island off the coast of Wales where all the other children had magical abilities.  A brother and sister were the strongest people Abe knew and could lift large boulders with very little effort.  Another boy was invisible, and liked to sneak up on people while not wearing clothes---if he had clothing on, his shape could be seen. And yet another girl who floated away if not tethered to the earth.  All these stories seemed like fairy tales to Jacob, until he stopped believing in them.  Right before Jacob's 16th birthday, his grandfather has started to let paranoia take over his thinking, claiming the monsters are back and out to get him.  One day the paranoia has reached a boiling point and Jacob goes to Abe's house to try to calm him down.  Instead, Jacob finds his grandfather in the woods, almost dead, in what appears to have been a wild animal attack.  In his last words, Abe tells Jacob, "Find the bird.  In the loop.  On the other side of the old man's grave.  September 3, 1940.  Emerson--the letter.  Tell them what happened."  In the minutes after his grandfather's last words, Jacob shines his flashlight into the woods and sees "a face that seemed to have been transplanted directly from the nightmares of my childhood.  It stared back with eyes that swam in dark liquid, furrowed trenches of carbon-black flesh loose on its hunched frame, its mouth hinges open grotesquely so that a mass of long eel-like tongues could wriggle out."  No one else saw this creature. 

Abe's final words, and the hideous creature, begin to haunt Jacob's dreams, until he finally (with the help of his shrink) convinces his parents to let him go to Wales to try to find out about his grandfather's past, hoping that if he is able to find anything, that he will be able to finally understand and get a peaceful night's sleep.

What he doesn't expect to find is the house that his grandfather lived in when he was in Wales was bombed out on September 3, 1940, and all the inhabitants were believed to be dead.  Yet, Abe received a letter from his former headmistress there, Miss Peregrine, only 15 years prior.  There was definitely something else going on, and Jacob is determined to find out what. 

Along the way, Jacob does some time traveling, meets the children of his grandfather's stories, battles horrible monsters, and finds out a thing or two about himself as well.

This story was so much more than just the pictures that drew me to it and I found myself unable to put it down.  There is reportedly a sequel due to come out in June of 2013.  I look forward to finding out how Jacob and the children fare in their new world!

Happy Reading!!

#33--Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

On one of the first teacher days back at school, my friend Kelly (also one of my LA teachers) came to me raving about the best book she read this summer....Between Shades of Gray (not that shades of gray!).  As it so happened, I had checked this title out over the summer and had not yet had a chance to read it.  So, on her recommendation, I pulled it out of the pile today and enjoyed some rays while reading.

On the night of June 14, 1941, 15-year-old Lina Vilkas, her mother Elena, and her younger brother Jonas are removed from their home in Lithuania by the Soviet secret police (NKVD) and deported to Siberia, for reasons Lina and Jonas don't know or understand.  As difficult as it is, she tries to mask her hatred for the Soviets.  The conditions are horrific, but Lina is determined to live, no matter what.  Lina must also hide the drawings she has made, depicting their ordeals and the people in the camps, both Lithuanians and the Soviet guards, as she could be executed if they are found.  Her art is how Lina hopes to communicate with others the truth of what happened to them in Siberia.  But will her hope keep them alive long enough?

There have been very few books written about this time period, so it is not a part of history that I was overly familiar with.  However, that makes me want to find out more about it, and more about the people who survived these horrors.  The author, Ruta Sepetys, is the daughter of a Lithuanian refugee who was fortunate enough to escape through Germany and into refugee camps.  She wrote this story as a memorial to all those who perished, and for those who survived Stalin's Reign of Terror.  This is a story that I would definitely recommend to anyone who is a lover of history!

Happy Reading!!

#32--Geek Charming by Robin Palmer

This afternoon I was looking for a light and easy read to sit outside on my swing with and enjoy the beautiful day.  And I also have a stack of books that I checked out over the summer staring at me, waiting to be read.  So I picked up today's read for both of those reasons. 

Dylan is the "it-girl" at her private high school.  Josh is a film geek who happens to be in the right place at the wrong time.....Dylan has accidentally tossed her very expensive designer handbag into the fountain at the shopping mall her dad owns, and she convinces Josh to go in after it for her, in return for being in his documentary for film school.  Dylan attempts to renege on this deal, but her dad makes her follow through on it.  Josh, of the F-list in Dylan's mind, will get to follow her around and film her for one month, in her A-list world. 

At first Josh considers scrapping the whole project because Dylan is driving him insane with her demands, but eventually, he realizes that she is human and decides he wants to show her whole story in the documentary instead of just the life of the populars, as he originally intended.  When Dylan's emotionally distant boyfriend of almost two years dumps her right before the Fall Fling--the social event of the semester--and her popularity tanks, it is up to Josh to try to save the day.

Will Dylan kiss the frog to get the prince or will she discover that a prince is not always necessary?

This was a cute story and it reminded me of the movies Can't Buy Me Love and Clueless.  Parts of it were predictable, but it fit the bill for what I was looking for today and I would read Palmer's other books based on fairy tales:  Wicked Jealous: A Love Story, Cindy Ella, and Little Miss Red.

Happy Reading!!

#31--Eat the City: A Tale of the Fishers, Foragers, Butchers, Farmers, Poultry Minders, Sugar Refiners, Cane Cutters, Beekeepers, Winemakers, and Brewers Who Built New York--by Robin Shulman

This summer my sister and I spent several days in New York City as a nice treat.  We are, admittedly, food snobs to a point and love us some good food.  Our goal for the trip was to eat our way through the city and see a few shows.  Not only did we do this, but we also were able to spend some time biking in Central Park and doing some touristy stuff--like a walking food tour of Hell's Kitchen from Alex at Manhattan Walking Tour where we had some absolutely fantastic food!!

About a week before leaving for our trip, I started reading Eat the City.  I figured it would be a good way to find out about the history of food in the Big Apple.  Each chapter covers a different kind of food: fish, vegetables, meat (butcher shops), sugar, honey, beer, and wine.  Through each chapter you are introduced to individuals who are currently practicing the trade as well as given insight into the history of each food within New York City.  I found the information fascinating to read about.  The author is able to make you feel like you are right there in the butcher shop/wine cellar/rooftop with honey bees/garden and the people you meet come alive. 

This is a book that I would recommend to any foodies...especially my dad...who may be getting a copy for Christmas.  :)

I was provided a free electronic galley copy of this book by the publisher through Net Galley.  All opinions are my own.  The book is currently available for purchase in both hard cover and kindle format.

                                                          picture from Amazon.com
Warning: There are a few instances when situation/language may not make this appropriate for readers under 16.  Use your own discretion.

Happy Reading!!

#30--Radical Integrity: The Story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Michael Van Dyke

Ever year when I attend New Wilmington Mission Conference, I purchase several books at the book store....and I rarely read them before I go back the next year.  Until this year.  This year I purchased a few books, and I've already finished one of them....today's post.  As I have said before, I'm fascinated by the time period of World War II, and events leading up to it.  I've had a vague inkling of who Dietrich Bonhoeffer was for years, but never really gave him much thought until I picked up Radical Integrity.  I knew he was a German theologian who was killed by the Nazis and is widely quoted and studied at seminaries.  Beyond that, I didn't know much about him.

Radical Integrity begins with Dietrich's arrest by the Gestapo for his part in the plots to assassinate Adolf Hitler.  But then we learn about his early years and his family.  The book follows Dietrich through university, pastoring a German church in Spain, and through the rest of his life, including his struggle with joining the resistance against Hitler and the Nazis.  Bonhoeffer was just 39 when the Nazis hanged him for his part in the resistance.  Yet, his legacy lives on in his writings.

I found myself going back and re-reading passages, sometimes for better comprehension and other times because what was said was so compelling.  I even found myself making slight marks with a pencil in my copy of the book--something I rarely do. 

Van Dyke does an excellent job of intertwining passages from Bonhoeffer's own writings with the narrative.  I will definitely be keeping this on my shelf, and will hopefully refer back to it when I have struggles of faith of my own to deal with. 

Happy Reading!

#29--They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti

During the summer I always have great aspirations to getting lots of reading done....as is evidenced by the piles of books I pack anytime I go anywhere.  However, life, and this year, the Olympics, gets in the way. 

I finished They Almost Always Come Home several months ago, but never posted it....so, here goes....

The story opens with Libby fretting over whether dead people wear shoes....it seems like a waste since no one will see them, but "no outfit is complete without shoes".  Every time her husband goes away on one of his Canadian wilderness trips, Libby tends to over-dramatize if he is even the tiniest bit late....but Greg has never been this late before, and he has never been in the wilderness alone...

When he doesn't return home within a few days of the anticipated time, Libby files a missing persons report....and waits, and waits, and waits.  Her father-in-law, Frank, and her best friend, Jenika (Jen), are there by her side.  During her agonizing wait for Greg, Libby waffles between wishing she had left Greg before his trip, to wishing he were home again and by her side.  Part of her indecision lies in the fact that their daughter died a few years ago, and then everything changed. 

Jen is convinced that God wants Libby and Jen to find Greg....Libby's not so sure about that.  She is convinced that Greg is either dead or he has found a convenient way to leave her.  The fourth day after filing the missing persons report, Frank announces that he wants to go up to Canada to take a look around...hoping to see something the authorities missed, or to find "his boy".  Much to his chagrin, Libby and Jen insist on tagging along--two inexperienced and anti-outdoors women--to the wilderness of Canada.  And they only have one week to find him.

Along the way, Jen, Libby and Frank come across clues that indicate they are on the right trail....empty sunflower seeds, Greg's paddle that he made in high school wood shop.  And Libby also has one of Greg's journals that she reads at night while questioning God the whole time.

Two-thirds of the way into the book, the perspective switches to Greg's side of the story.  I don't want to give anything away....but I loved his side of the story just as much as Libby's and the ending was fantastic as well. 

Christian fiction can sometimes come across as preachy or trite, but this one doesn't.  Will definitely be checking out her future works.

Happy Reading!!

#28--Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

It has been almost a month since my last post, but this title is definitely worth the wait!!

Code Name Verity is told in two parts, by two different characters.  The story opens in a prison in Nazi-occupied France where a British operative (she's Scottish, and you better not EVER call her English!) is being held.  The British operative is writing her story of how she came to be in France in exchange for more time alive.  The Nazis are expecting her to give up secret information about the Allies' plans to invade France, while she is weaving a narrative.  This operative goes by many names in the course of the book, some of which could give away part of the story, so I will just refer to her as Scottie (this is one of her nicknames in the book).

Scottie is from the upper, upper crust in Scotland, with royalty in her blood.  In the beginning of the war, she makes friends with a working-class girl, Maddie, and they soon become best friends, despite their differences.  Maddie is a pilot and a mechanic--on cars, motorcycles, airplanes, basically anything with an engine.  But she is working as a wireless operator since women haven't been called up to fly for the war effort yet.  Flying is what gives Maddie purpose.  Scottie is an invaluable asset because she speaks French and German, can think on her feet quickly, and likes to make up stories.  The two girls are first paired up to talk down a lost German pilot and get him safely to their English base.  Later, they are paired up in the drop that gets Scottie arrested.  (If I say much more here, I will give away some of the best parts of the plot, so I will stop.)

The two other minor supporting characters are the Gestapo officer, Hauptstrumfuhrer von Linden, and the female guard/interpreter, Anna Engel.  Neither of these characters are stock characters; both are rounded characters who have surprises in them that  you don't see coming. 

I was up until late last night/early this morning finishing this book, because I couldn't put it down.  I wanted to find out what happened at the end.  

There are lots of World War II and Holocaust books and books about men fighting and women at home, but this is the first book I've read about women being a part of the fighting and ferrying of planes, pilots and refugees and I hope to see more!

I was provided with a free galley copy of this title by NetGalley.  All statements are mine.  This book is now available for purchase, but in print and as an ebook.

I hope you find this one as enjoyable and not-put-downable as I did! 

Happy Reading!!

#27--Fat Cat by Robin Brande

This is one of those titles that I've been eyeing since it first came in at the beginning of the year.  And now I've finally had the opportunity to sit down and devour it!

Cat wants nothing more than to beat Matt McKinney at the annual science fair in the spring.  They have both signed up for a rigorous Special Topics in Research Science class and it the class itself is legendary.  Cat and Matt used to be friends, until the science fair in seventh grade, when Matt stabbed Cat in the heart and she has never forgiven him. 

Cat's 7-month long research project is to research the effects a hominin diet can have on a modern homo sapien.  Cat determines to eschew all modern conveniences like TV, cell phones, and cars (with a few logical exceptions--after dark, for safety purposes), and to begin eating a diet as close as possible to what hominins would have eaten.  Cat goes from a diet that consisted mainly of Diet Coke and junk food to a cleaner, mostly vegetarian diet and adds daily walking to and from school and work to her routine.  The only people who know about the details of her experiment are her parents, her best friend, Amanda, and her teacher, Mr. Fizer.

Over the course of her experiment, the weight starts to drop off, but Cat still thinks about herself as "Fat Cat".  When boys she has never really spoken to start to pay attention to the new Cat, she adds another dimension to her experiment--how do guys react to the new Cat?

Through it all, Amanda (and her boyfriend Jordan) are supportive of Cat--but Jordan doesn't know the truth behind the animosity between Cat and Matt.  And the animosity keeps growing....

Will Cat beat Matt?  Will they ever be friends again?

Loved this book!!  Cat had some great points with her research.  I have often wished that I enjoyed cooking enough to attempt to eat a more "clean" diet like the one Cat follows....maybe one of these days it'll happen.  In the meantime, I'll be running off my meals.  :)

Happy Reading!!

#26--Girl, Stolen by April Henry

At the end of every school year I check out a bunch of books that have sounded really good during the year that I haven't had a chance to read.  So, before I left the building on Friday, I checked out my summer reads and today I got started on them.

Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of her stepmom's car while waiting for her prescription to be filled to help get rid of her pneumonia.  Within just a few minutes of leaving the car, the door opens and slams shut and the car is started and then moving.  Pretty quickly, without looking, Cheyenne knows that it isn't her stepmother, Danielle, driving the car--and that the car is being stolen, with her in it.  Cheyenne isn't sure how she is going to survive because, not only is she sick, but she is also blind and without her trusty guide dog, Phantom.

Griffin didn't mean to kidnap Cheyenne.  He simply saw the fancy Escalade, with keys dangling from the ignition, as an easy target.  He didn't realize that there was someone in the back seat, until it was too late.  He knows that he will pay for his impulsiveness when his dad, Roy, finds out what he has done.  Roy runs a chop shop and has committed petty crimes, and taught Griffin to do the same, along with his two employees, TJ and Jimbo.  While watching the evening news, Roy discovers that Cheyenne's father is the president of Nike, and he hatches a plan to ask for a hefty ransom for Cheyenne's return. 

Told with alternating narration between Cheyenne and Griffin, this is a quick, easy read, that had me on pins and needles, wondering what was going to happen to Cheyenne and Griffin, with a great twist at the end!  I will be definitely be adding this one to my list of possible book talks for next year!

Happy Reading!!

#25--Redemption by Veronique Launier

There are often themes in young adult literature that come and go....currently we are in a werewolf/vampire stage (one that I personally hope goes "softly into that good night").  I recently came across two books that had gargoyles as their central characters...today's read and a title I can't bring to mind as I type this, but am hoping it comes to me.  Gargoyles are fascinating to me ever since I first saw Disney's Beauty and the Beast (and possibly even before that).  The intricate carvings builders used to include in their work, including gargoyles, are amazing, and the fact that they are still around, hundreds of years later, is even more amazing.  (We Americans are often suprised when a building or other artifact is still around at 200 years, when people in many other parts of the world think of anything 200 years old as just a teenager!)  Thanks to my quick research (go wikipedia!) I discovered that gargoyles were originally used as a way to divert water (think modern-day downspouting), and have been connected to Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece, including the Temple of Zeus. 

One of the first things that grabbed my attention with this book was its cover:

Today's story opens with Guillaume, a gargoyle (but you don't know he is one yet), observing people going about their business in the streets below him.  While taking in his surroundings, he notices a girl, by herself, and looking aprehensive....with good reason....three men approach her in a meanacing fashion, but there is nothing Guillaume can do to help her from his perch on top the former church.  It is obvious to him that these men mean to do her harm.  Suddenly he hears distant drumming and chanting in a language he learned long ago, the Mohawk language.  The chanting, coming from the girl, sparks something in Guillaume and his three other family members, and stones from the top of the building begin to fall to earth, as do some dead pigeons.  The men take off, and so does the girl.  Guillaume, awakened from decades in stone must find this girl to discover how she was able to awaken him and his family.

Aude (pronounced Ode) is freaked out about what happened at the old church.  She is convinced that she is losing her mind.  Then this good-looking guy keeps popping up places and asking her questions that don't make sense.  All she wants is to focus her time and energy into the band she and her friends Lucy and Trick have, Lucid Pill.  Aude is the guitarist and singer, and writes a number of their songs as well.  Lucy and Trick are really her only friends, and now that Lucy and Trick have started dating, Aude worries that Lucid Pill isn't long for this world.

Guillaume quickly finds ways to run into Aude and they become wary friends.  They discover they both have a love for music....at the beginning of his life (in the middle of the thirteenth century) he studied organ at the Notre Dame in Paris and was considered to be a prodigy even then--imagine what 800 years of practice would do to improve on that!  They eventually discover that Aude has the ability to transfer essence (or life), which is what the gargoyles need in order to continue to appear human.

After further sleuthing by Guillaume, Aude, Guillaume's family, and a Mohawk shaman, it is believed that Aude may be the key to an ancient prophecy about the end of the world.  There are clues all around that the prophecy has already been set in motion, but will Aude, Guillaume and the others be able to stop it before all of Montreal, and even the world, is destroyed?

The author includes details in her story from the French legend of La Gargouille, including the form that Guillaume takes when he is at his most powerful, which made it all the more fascinating for me.  The narration alternates between Aude and Guillaume, which gives the story a little extra something, and keeps you on the edge of your seat because you don't always know the whole story until the author is ready to share it with you.

There's much more to this story, but I don't want to give too much away. 

I really enjoyed this story.  There were a few times when I believe the timeline may have been off slightly, but that also could be due to the fact that you don't find out how Guillaume and his family became gargoyles until more than halfway through the book.

This title is already in my wish list to be purchased for school for next year!  Can't wait to tell my students about this one!!  The ending leaves it open for a sequel, which I'm really hoping happens, and soon!

Disclaimer: I was provided with an advanced copy of this book for my kindle by the publisher.  All opinions are 100% mine.

This book will be available for purchase on September 8, 2012, but can currently be pre-ordered.

Happy Reading!!

#24--Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Last week during small group my friend RuthAnn recommended today's read to me.  It was an audio book that she had checked out from the local library and said she flew through it.  Since I was going to be traveling to my parents' house for the long weekend, she offered it to me for entertainment on the drive.

The author discusses the differences between introverts and extroverts and how individuals who fall into either category can understand and work with someone of the opposite temperament.  In Western culture (and American culture, more specifically), it is considered abnormal to be introverted, to need quiet time to recharge, despite the fact that at least 20% of the population would be considered to be introverts.  Cain uses anecdotal evidence of a number of famous people who are introverts: Steve Wozniak, Albert Einstein, JK Rowling, Dr. Seuss, Charles Schultz, JM Barrie, Gandhi, and many others.  Throughout the course of the book, a number of scientific studies are referenced and discussed as well as her personal research.

While listening to this book, I found myself often wanting to go back and re-read portions so that I could fully wrap my brain around the topic.  The narrator (Kathe Mazur) did a wonderful job with this book--the narrator can make or break an audio book--but there were times when my brain couldn't keep up with what she was saying.  This is a title that I would actually like to have in print so that I could go back and reread portions.

If you had asked me 20 years ago whether I was an introvert or an extrovert, I would have said that I was a little bit of both. Today, while I enjoy spending time with friends and family, I am much more an introvert than I ever was in high school.  This book provided me with insight into why I do some of the things I do and also gave me lots to think about as well.

If you are an introvert, you love an introvert, or even simply work with an introvert (and chances are you do), this book gives great insight into how an introvert thinks.  I would highly recommend this book!!!

Happy Reading!!

#23--Women Doctors and Nurses of the Civil War by Lesli J. Favor, PhD

One of the things I love about my job is that every so often I get to go into the classroom and teach with one of my teachers.  I especially love it when research of some sort is involved, whether on my part or the students'.  Tomorrow I will be co-teaching a lesson on medicine in the American Civil War with one of my 8th grade social studies teachers.  As I was working on finding information for this lesson, I read through today's book as part of my research.  One of the things that we wanted to find was information that will really grab the students' attention--especially the gory and gross, since middle schoolers, boys in particular, seem to love that stuff. 

I have done some reading on the Civil War in the past, but most often it has come in the form of a work of fiction instead of a nonfiction book.  One of the things that fascinates me about this time period is how the women were involved, particularly those who participated in a non-traditional role--doctor, soldier, or even as a nurse (it was considered unseemly for a woman, especially one of good-breeding, to see a man in any state of undress, who was not her husband).

Favor's book covers eight different women who worked tirelessly during the war as either doctors, nurses, or administrators/matrons.  I had previously heard of some of these women, like Dorothea Dix, Clara Barton, and Mary Ann Bickerdyke.  But others, Phoebe Yates Pember, Dr. Esther Hill Hawks, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, Sally L. Tompkins, and Kate Cumming, were all new to me.  For example, I knew that Dorothea Dix had been a champion of the rights of those who were mentally ill; but I did not know that she headed up the all-female nursing corp for the Union army.  Two of her standard requirements for applicants were that they "were at least thirty years old and plain-looking".

The author offers up anecdotes for each of her subjects, but one of my favorites was about Mary Ann Bickerdyke.  "On one occasion, a surgeon, angry with Bickerdyke for accusing him of misconduct, complained to General Grant.  Though Grant responded with humor, he meant every word he said: 'Mother Bickerdyke outranks everybody, even [President] Lincoln.  If you have run amuck of her I advise you to get out quickly before she has you under arrest.'"  A drunken surgeon who Bickerdyke had removed from service asked General William T. Sherman for reinstatement and Sherman replied, "I can do nothing for you.  She [out]ranks me."  :)

Overall I thought this was a great overview of some of the important women of this time period, some of whom were very influential, but in medicine and beyond.  There were also some great photos and drawings in the book to help the reader visualize some of the situations these women were put in during the war. 

Now to put the finishing touches on the lesson for class tomorrow!

Happy Reading!

#22--Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti

Noelle's life is a mess. She is bullied at school; her single mother neglects and verbally abuses her. The only bright spot is her best friend Sherae and her art. Oh, and Julian Porter...the boy of her dreams.

But Noelle has kept the extent of her miserable home life and the bullying a secret for so long from everyone, including Sherae, that when she starts to make other friends in Simon (the co-editor of the literary magazine) and Julian starts to pay attention to her, it completely freaks her out.

When Ali, a fellow classmate and bullying victim, commits suicide, Noelle decides to be done--done with putting up with everyone's insults and bullying, done with being made to feel less and done being afraid.

Overall, I thought this was a good book, with a great message. However, at the end it felt too preachy and heavy-handed to me. I think my students who liked Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why or Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak would like this book. I may have to add it to my wish list for next year.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free galley copy of this book by the publisher. It will be available for purchase on May 31, 2012.

Happy Reading!!

#21--Sex God by Rob Bell

If you just looked at the title and not the author, you may be wondering what kind of book it is that I'm actually talking about today....I was somewhat surprised when I received it as a gift, but it was from my sister, and I trust her judgement (and she is a minister, so she wouldn't be giving me one of those books).  It has been sitting on my shelf for a while now, but after a frustrating church service for me last week, she suggested I take it down off my shelf and read it.  The issue at hand was women in the role of pastor of a church....for me, it is a no-brainer--if a woman is called to that position, it is good and right.  And, I would feel this way even if my sister were not in this vocation. 

This is my first real encounter with Rob Bell, other than hearing him mentioned at conferences or in discussions with friends.  The premise of the book is that there is a connection between being a spiritual being and being a sexual being--and not necessarily of the having sex kind of being.  (That was a lot of "being"s to have in one sentence!)

The book was a quick read, in that it is less than 170 pages and lots of white space on said pages.  However, it is a book that I think I will be thinking about for some time.  Bell challenges the reader to examine their life and how well they know themselves--how naked (emotionally, that is) are you willing to get with yourself, and therefore, with others.

I will be ruminating on this book well into the future, as it has some heavy questions, but he also takes a light-hearted approach to much of the subject matter, injecting humor and vignettes as appropriate.  This one will definitely be staying on my shelf for future reference!  This would be a good read, whether you are married or single, searching or firm in your faith.

Happy Reading!!

#20--Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps by Andrea Warren

So, as I was getting book talks ready after school today for a teacher I started flipping through this particular choice, mainly to see if it would work for the assignment the students will be doing, and I got sucked into it. 

Jack Mandelbaum was only 15 when he was deported to a concentration camp during Nazi Germany and he was shipped to a number of camps before finally being liberated on May 7, 1945.  At the first camp the man in the bunk next to him, Aaron, tells him to treat it like a game that he wants to win, that if he plays everything right, he might beat the Nazis.  Jack is determined to survive and meet back up with his parents, brother, and sister, who he is certain are still alive and waiting for him.  Jack eventually arrives in the United States and becomes an American citizen, marries, and has a family.  He does find a few family members, but his parents and siblings all perished at the hands of the Nazis. 

This would make a good introduction to the Holocaust for someone who wasn't very knowledgeable, or for a late elementary student.  It was a quick and easy read.  And it should do just fine for the project, so my students will be hearing about this one on Wednesday.  :)

Happy Reading!

#19--The Shadow Children by Steven Schnur

My 8^th graders study The Diary of Anne Frank as part of their Language Arts class and several teachers typically require the students to read an additional book about the Holocaust as part of this unit.  One day last week this title was turned in by a student and I noticed that it had a fantasy genre sticker on it (I put genre stickers on all my fiction books so that the students—and I—have an easier time picking out a specific genre), and I was curious as to why I had put a fantasy sticker on a book that also has a Holocaust sticker on it.  So, before putting it back on the shelf, I grabbed it and quickly read it.  (It took me less than 40 minutes to get through, so it is a quick read--less than 100 pages.)

The story takes place several years after World War II is over, in a small French town, Mont Brulant.  Etienne is looking forward to spending the summer with his grandfather and this is the first year his parents will not be joining him.  Etienne is surprised to notice on the drive back to his grandfather’s home from the train station that the town is much quieter than he remembers.  They also pass a group of children begging on the side of the road, but his grandfather doesn’t notice them.

As the summer goes on and Etienne goes exploring, he comes across a group of children living and hiding in the woods, who run and hide when they hear a train coming.  Etienne knows that the closest train is miles away and the children couldn’t be seen from it.  He doesn’t understand what they are hiding from. 

When he mentions the children to his grandfather, Grand-pere brushes it off, but Madame Jaboter (who comes to clean and cook for Grand-pere) overhears Etienne and begs him to promise he won’t go back to the woods.  Eventually, Etienne learns who the children are and why they are hiding…they are the souls of the children the people of Mont Brulant tried to save from the Nazis, but were forced to hand them over. 

This was a different story than I was expecting, but thought it was pretty well done.  (It has a fantasy sticker because we use fantasy whenever there are ghosts or anything supernatural in the story.)

Now it is going back on the shelf for another student to read.

Happy Reading!

#18--Sweet Baklava by Debby Mayne

As I was sitting in the doctor's office this afternoon, I pulled out my kindle to pass the time.  I picked out one of the freebies I downloaded recently to read.  I finished it after I got home, with my ankle in a boot and elevated.  :(

This was a typical Christian romance.  It was a quick, easy read, but nothing really new in this genre.  The best part is the recipes at the end of the book for many of the Greek delicacies that are mentioned throughout the book--can't wait to try them...make that, have my dad make them and me eat them!!

Paula's childhood was anything but stable.  But once she and her mother moved to Tarpon Springs at the beginning of middle school, she found stability in the family of her new best friend, Steph Papadopoulos.  During high school, Paula dated Steph's cousin, Nick, but when she went off to college, Nick left for the Air Force and they lost touch.  It is now ten years later and Nick is home on an extended leave.  He never forgot about Paula and is determined to prove to her that they should be together for keeps.

Not the next great classic, but a good story...the characters and relationships were believable--reminded me a bit of the movie My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding!  Some of the resolutions were somewhat contrived or arrived at a little too quickly to be believable, but overall, not too bad.

Since my foot will be in an air cast for much of the next week and a half, I'm hoping to get more reading done than originally planned for my spring break....we shall see if that comes to fruition.

Happy Reading!

#17--The Road by Cormac McCarthy

So, I've mentioned before that I have a problem with buying books....Saturday I went to my local library's used book sale, $5 for a bag of books, and walked out with 25 books for $10.  Not too bad in the financial sense, but it just makes my list of books I need to read even longer than before and my bookshelves groan with the thought of more weight....Oh, to be a speed-reader!!!  Fortunately, several of these books will be making the trip to my parents' house over Easter, so they will not all be taking up precious shelf space in my house.

When I posted this picture on Facebook, several friends commented on one title in particular, today's read.  I decided to start  with The Road since it was coming highly recommended.  I started Sunday afternoon and got a little over 1/3 of the way into it before I had to put it down and walk away for a little bit.  I finished it today after school and several hours later, I'm still not sure exactly what I think of it. 

The story takes place in the future after a post-apocalyptic event--that is never really defined--but most of humanity is gone, food and water are scarce--if not impossible to get, the world is covered in ash, and a man and his son (who I'm guessing is around 8-10 years old) are struggling to survive, with the ultimate goal to get to the coast.  The story is very harsh and stark.  One of my complaints is that there are no quotation marks anywhere in the book--and it is often difficult to keep track of who is talking.  I've only read two other books (that I can think of) that utilize the no quotes style, and I didn't really care for either of those books, so maybe it is a style issue I'm having here.  There were also no chapter markers, other than ellipses (...) in between paragraphs, so that also threw me off a little as well.

Some of the descriptions of were graphic, yet stark in their word pictures.  This is definitely an adult book due to these images.  This book was made into a movie starring Viggo Mortensen in 2008, but I haven't seen it in order to comment.  I would be curious to see how it compared and how some of the events were portrayed.  It may have to go into my Netflix cue...

I do think I need to digest this one for a little longer before finally determining whether or not I like it.

Happy Reading!

#16--The Scrapbook Riddle by S.D. Brown

Jessica thinks her summer has been ruined!  Jess and her mom have traveled to the home of her Grandma (Gram) and Great-grandma (Grandma Charlotte) on the opposite side of the state--and there is no TV available, let alone cable, and she isn't allowed to call her best friend because of the long-distance charges!  How will she ever survive the summer without anyone to hang out with?

When they arrive, Gram is in the hospital and Grandma Charlotte is acting very confused and there is a strange man, Mr. Thomas, and his nephew, Josh, living on the third floor of the house.  The man is creepy and acting somewhat suspicious to Jessica's way of thinking, and his rude nephew isn't much better. 

Grandma Charlotte has a scrapbook that she looks at because it reminds her of her father, who died soon after the Crash of 1929.  He sent her a letter for her birthday that year with a riddle that she refers to as the riddle of the Liberty Lady and died before he could explain the clues in the poem.  Jess takes it upon herself to solve the riddle, in hopes that it will lead to the great treasure that has been rumored to be in the family for decades, but no one has ever found.  In the meantime, Jess befriends Josh and discovers that he isn't really Mr. Thomas's nephew--Mr. Thomas is blackmailing Josh into helping him swindle Jess's grandmothers.

Will Jess and Josh be able to find the treasure and prove that Mr. Thomas is up to no good?

This was another freebie on my kindle--and a very quick read.  It was good and I didn't guess everything by the end, but it was a somewhat stock mystery. 

Happy Reading!

#15--Connie Cobbler: Toy Detective by James DeSalvo

What do you get when you cross Strawberry Shortcake, Babes in Toyland, and a noir detective story?  Today's story, for sure.

The main character, Connie Cobbler, is a former TV star--she and four friends had a show called Connie Cobbler and the Pastry Pals.  When there was an accident on set and one of her friends and co-stars died, Connie left the world and fame behind forever....and became a private detective.  She takes on cases in her hometown, Toy Town.  Brenda Bombshell has come to Connie and asked her to find her lost dog, Foo-foo, who was wearing a very expensive diamond collar when he was dog-napped.  This case leads Connie on to an even bigger case--one where it looks like someone wants Connie out of the picture, for good!

I downloaded this story for free on my kindle.  It was a cute, fun story, but I don't think I would have paid for it.  It is available in paperback and it would be a cute addition to an elementary library.

Happy Reading!

#14--A Gift of Two Silver Pistols by Nan Coleman

Happy St. Patty's Day!!  I don't know what the weather was like in your neck of the woods, but here it has been more like a late May day than the middle of March....but I'm definitely not complaining!!

This afternoon, in an effort to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather, I grabbed a chair and my kindle and headed out for some sunshine!  I recently downloaded a bunch of books for free onto my kindle, so I started with the one at the top of the list...today's book.  As I've demonstrated through a number of the books that I have thus far chosen to read, I'm a sucker for history, whether it is fiction or nonfiction. 

My first year as a librarian, I grabbed a book off the shelf that intrigued me...The Year of the Hangman by Gary Blackwood--about what life would have been like in the American colonies immediately after the Revolutionary War if we had lost.  It was a very interesting idea to me, and I have often wondered how things would have been different if certain events had been different: how different would the world be if Abraham Lincoln had not been assassinated?  if the Titanic hadn't sunk or the Hindenburg exploded? it the Archduke Ferdinand had not been assassinated?  And the questions go on. 

In today's book, Ainsley is 13 in 2011 and loves visiting her grandparents at their home in Charlottesville, VA, near the site where Thomas Jefferson grew up and near his home of Monticello.  Her grandfather has told her stories of her famous relative, Jack Jouett, who rode in the middle of the night on June 3, 1781, to warn Thomas Jefferson that British commander, Banastre Tarleton, was on his way to arrest as many important traitors to the crown as he could, including Jefferson specifically.  (An important side note--Ainsley's Uncle Myles is a professional ghost hunter.) 

On the night of June 3, the anniversary of Jack's ride, Ainsley decides that she wants to try to see a ghost for herself, and she wants to see Jack Jouett.  So, with some of her uncle's ghost-hunting equipment, she camps out down by the river where she and Uncle Myles have guessed that Jack crossed the river on his famous ride.  Not only does she get her wish and sees Jack, but he also sees her...and that sets a different set of events into motion.  With Ainsley in tow, Jack does not get to Monticello in time to warn Jefferson, who is then captured, along with Patrick Henry and Benjamin Harrison.  The men will be hanged for treason, as soon as Tarleton can get the gallows built. 

Ainsley and Jack (the only one who can see Ainsley), with the help of a local tavern owner, Barbara (who can also see Ainsley), they come up with a plan to help the prisoners and attempt to put time and history back in their proper places.

After doing some research about Jack Jouett, I discovered that he has been called "The Paul Revere of the South," and some have even claimed that his ride was more crucial than Revere's because of the stakes involved if Jeffereson, Henry and Harrison, major leaders of the revolution, are captured.  (Thanks wikipedia!)  As a result of his heroics, the Virginia state legislature awarded Jack Jouett two silver pistols and a sword-hence the title of the book.  This fact wasn't mentioned until the very end of the epilogue, which makes me question the title...there has to be a better title for this story out there, one that will make sense much earlier in the story.

Overall, it was a quick easy read that I enjoyed.  It is currently available in kindle format as well as in paperback...this title may be finding its way to the shelves of my school in the near future....

Happy Reading!!

#13--Almost by Anne Eliot

So, I stayed up way too late, on a school night, to finish this book. I simply could not put it down, no matter how hard I tried (I didn't try too awfully hard, it was too good).

I came across this book as a free book for my kindle--it is not currently available in print, but hopefully it will be someday, because I would love to add it to my collection at school.

The story is told from two different points of view--Jess and Gray. As a freshman in high school, Jess Jordan was almost raped at a senior party--a party and an event she doesn't remember--and this has changed her world significantly. Now, three years later, she survives on Red Bull and naps during the day because if she sleeps at night, she has nightmares about the night of the party. Her coping mechanisms have made her shun all friends and extra-curricular activities. However, if her parents are going to let her go to college, she has to demonstrate that she is "making progress" toward normalcy. In order to attain normalcy, Jess applies for an internship at geekstuff.com. Not only will this look good on her resume, but it will also get her out of her room and around other people--one of the requirements of "normal".

What she doesn't count on is that there is someone else applying for the same internship--a really hot guy from her school, Gray Porter. While waiting for their interviews, Gray comes across a list Jess's sister made about how to be normal: 1) Make at least two friends your own age, 2) Go places besides your room, 3) Get a boyfriend, and 4) Make sure Mom and Dad notice numbers one through three.

In an effort to land the internship and appear normal to her parents, Jess makes a deal with Gray--she will do the internship for free so he get get the paid position to apply toward college, and pay him, to be her boyfriend for the summer--fulfilling the first three items on the checklist at once. She doesn't count on falling for Gray.

But Gray has secrets of his own--a secret that drives him to protect Jess....

Can't say any more or it would give it away.....

The ending was somewhat rushed, and a little formulaic, but overall, I really liked this book. As I was reading it, it reminded me a little of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Quad by Carrie Watson, and Hate List by Jennifer Brown--each in their own way. Really wishing it was in print so I could include it in my next order of books for school!

If you have an ereader, there are several websites available where you can get daily or weekly offers for free or reduced books. Here are a few of them....

http://www.inspiredreads.com/

http://bookbub.com/deals/
http://youngedition.pixelofink.com/
http://www.pixelofink.com/

I'm sure there are many others out there as well.

Happy Reading!

#12--A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass

Today's book was chosen by my students for me to read.  Wendy Mass was my school's visiting author last year and my students really enjoy her books--one of which came out as a movie last fall--Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life.

Mia appears normal, but she's been hiding something for as long as she can remember--sounds, numbers and words all have colors.  As a child, she thought everyone saw colors, but in 3rd grade she found out that she was a "freak" in the eyes of her classmates. 

As she enters 8th grade, Mia is terrified of taking Spanish and pre-algebra...because the Spanish words don't have the same color as the corresponding word in English, so it is difficult for her to connect the words, and pre-algebra is difficult because "Normally an x is a shiny maroon color, like a ripe cherry.  But here an x has to stand for an unknown number.  But I can't make myself assign the x any other color than maroon, and there are no maroon-colored numbers.  Without the color, I don't know how to proceed."

After she fails two math quizes, Mia has to come clean with her parents about what is going on.  Fortunately, they are eventually able to find a diagnosis--synesthesia, a mingling of the senses--and Mia finds ways to work around her gift.

Makes me wonder what having this ability would be like--and what color my name would be....

I really enjoyed this title and I will read more by Wendy Mass in the future.

Happy Reading!!

#11--Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

It is a good thing I'm ahead of schedule, since it has been two weeks since my last post.  I knew this time of the year was going to be hectic this year, but didn't realize just how crazy. 

One of the PE teachers at my school is a self-proclaimed "non-reader."  Over the years I have handed him a few books to try out, some have been hits and others have been misses.  This year, I think we have found his niche....sci-fi/fantasy with a little post-apocalyptic/dystopian thrown in for a little extra something.  He flew through the entire Hunger Games series in about two weeks and came in the library looking for something else.  It just so happened that Incarceron had just been checked in and I offered it to him, telling him that it was about a prison that was alive.  He jumped on it and within a few days, was back asking for the sequel Sapphique--which he finished in a few days as well.  When he found out I hadn't read Incarceron yet, he informed me that I had to read and after I did, he wanted to talk about it.  I started it last weekend and he and I had a brief conversation during the week, but he didn't want to give anything away.  Well, I finished it last night and I can't wait to talk to him about it this week!!

Many years ago, the king decreed that there would be no more progress--life would actually regress back to roughly the middle ages in dress, technology, science, medicine, etc.  All prisoners would also be shipped to a new prison called Incarceron with wise leaders, called Sapients, in order to create a perfect society.  What wasn't planned for was the eventual overthrowing of the system by the prison itself.  It began to generate life from those who died inside it as well as think and react of its own volition.

Finn, a prisoner in Incarceron, believes that he came from Outside--he doesn't remember anything before waking up in a cell three years prior.  Claudia, the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, is pledged to be married to Caspar, the crown prince--a boorish oaf who she can't stand.  Her father has been grooming her for this position her entire life.  Claudia and Finn are both desperate to find an escape--Finn from Incarceron and Claudia from her arranged marriage. 

I won't say any more, for fear of giving away the good stuff!!  This is definitely a must-read if you like fantasy/dystopian fiction!!

Happy Reading!!

#10--Vulture's Wake by Kirsty Murray

I often booktalk books for my students in an effort to entice them to read something maybe a little different than they would normally.  Because of the large number of booktalks I end up doing over the course of the year, I do not have time to read them all before I tell my students about them.  Today's book is one that I have been telling my students about since we got it last year.  It alwasy sounded interesting, but just never had the chance to pick it up myself.  After several of my students raved about it, I decided that it was my turn to read it. 

Callum is a boy in a world where females are extinct....or are they.  He meets Bo after he has run away from his kidnappers, when she finds him during her daily hunt for food.  Bo and Callum are on a mission to get across the dangerous continent and to the "safe" city of Vulture's Gate, and away from the Outstationers who are out for Callum's blood.  When they finally arrive at Vulture's Gate, nothing is like Callum remembers it and they must both fight for survival. 

This is a post-apocalyptic novel set roughly 40 years in the future.  Not only is it a great story, that is screaming for a sequel, but it is also a commentary of sorts on the world and humans' treatment of it.  I finished it late last night and I'm still mulling it over in my mind...how can we improve things now so we don't end up like Callum and Bo.....

This title was previously published as Vulture's Gate, in case the story sounds a little familiar to some of you.

Happy Reading!

#9--Talking Bones: The Science of Forensic Anthropology--Peggy Thomas

Currently, one of my favorite TV shows is Bones, which is about a forensic anthropologist who works with the FBI to solve murders.  While forensic science completely fascinates me, I know I would never have the stomach to do it in real life, so I get my kicks vicariously! 

I happened to pick up today's book as it came into the circulation desk yesterday morning.  It sounded interesting, and I needed something to read at lunch.  It was a relatively quick read, and very interesting.  It gives a basic outline of what forensic anthropology is and how it came to be.  Some of the cases discussed were intriguing and made me want to learn a little more about them.  This title was published in 1995, so I'm sure that much of the technology has changed in the 17 years since it came out, but the basics and history are still the same.  It is geared to a middle/high school audience, but doesn't talk down to the reader.  Overall, not too shabby!

Now I'm in the mood for some Bones.

Happy Reading!

#8--Dead End in Norvelt--Jack Gantos

I happened to pick up a newspaper today from last week and was flipping through it when I noticed an article announcing the 2012 Newbery and Caldecott winners.  The Newbery Award had been given to Jack Gantos for his book, Dead End in Norvelt.  I knew we had a few copies of this book because I had purchased them after attending a conference on new young adult literature in the fall.  I quickly went to the stacks and grabbed one of the copies off the shelf to bring home with me.

This story is part fiction and part nonfiction....and I would love to know exactly where the line is drawn!  The main character, Jack Gantos, has started off his summer vacation grounded for life!  His prospects aren't looking good for an early release when his father makes him mow down his mother's corn field...which makes his mom clamp down even further in his punishment.  He is only allowed out of his room to do chores, use the bathroom, possibly eat meals with his family, and to help his neighbor Miss Volker write obituaries for the town paper.  The town of Norvelt was named for First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, because of her interest in the town--it was created out of the Great Depression as a way for the unemployed miners to get "a hand-up instead of a hand-out."  There were 250 original families in Norvelt and Miss Volker has vowed to write the obituaries for all the old-timers and be the last one standing--she is also the medical examiner, a post she was given by Mrs. Roosevelt and one she takes very seriously.

Jack has a "tiny problem"--his nose squirts blood anytime he gets startled, spooked or over-excited.  Add to this, Miss Volker has arthritis so bad that she has to warm up her hands in hot parafin wax so they work--the first time Jack sees this creates a rather amusing scene, as he believes she is melting her body parts off to be eaten.  And his best friend is a girl--who is the daughter of the local undertaker, and enjoys torturing Jack with stories of dead bodies and other gross things.  Oh, and these's also someone buying up the old houses in Norvelt and moving them to West Virginia, and even the possibility of a murder investigation too.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and I will be sharing it with students in the very near future.

I looked up Norvelt, PA, and discovered that the town actually exists in Westmoreland County, southeast of Pittsburgh, PA.  It also looks like much of the historical facts offered up by Miss Volker to Jack as they write obituaries and Jack learns to drive her car (very under-age), are pretty acurate....which makes me wonder even more how much of the rest of this story is fact and how much of it is fiction!!

Happy Reading!

#7--The Himmler Brothers: A German Family History--Katrin Himmler

Last year while on spring break, I got the chance to visit my cousin in Portland, OR, and he took me to a librarian's nirvana....Powell's Books.  Now, I have to admit, I find bookstores overwhelming.  I think a lot of it has to do with their organization--they aren't set up the same way a library is, so I have no idea where to start.  To say Powell's was overwhelming is a gross understatement, but it was an awesome way to spend four hours!!  Unfortunately, my luggage and my wallet couldn't handle all the titles I found that interested me, so I had to limit myself to three, but I also came across many titles that I do want to read sometime in the future.  One of the titles I did purchase was today's post.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, World War II and the Holocaust fascinate me.  Today's book was no exception.

I can't imagine what it would have been like to grow up with the last name of Himmler in post-war Germany.  It couldn't have been easy.  The author, Katrin Himmler, is the great-niece of Heinrich Himmler, the head of Hitler's SS and the chief perpetrator of the Holocaust. 

I've been racking by brain all afternoon trying to come up with an American equivalent, but, with the exception of our best-known traitor, Bennedict Arnold, I couldn't come up with an equal, and Bennedict wasn't anywhere near to being on the same level as Himmler.

I found it interesting to learn about Himmler's family, growing up and what happened to them after the war.  It can't have been easy for the author to delve into the research of her own terrible family history, especially when family stories painted a much different picture of Heinrich and his two brothers, Gebhard and Ernst (the author's grandfather).  The book takes the reader from the birth of the oldest Himmler son, Gebhard, in 1898 through to how Katrin came to write the book and some brief information about her marriage to a Jewish Israeli.  She wrote the book for their son. 

This book was difficult to get through for three reasons.  1) The translation from the German sometimes didn't come out in the best English, which required that some sentences/passages be re-read for understanding.  2) There needed to be a cast of characters so that it is easier to keep track of everyone and their relationships to one another.  I found myself confused at times as to who was who.  3) A timeline of events would also have been helpful as each chapter covered a span of time and they often overlapped, depending on the subject of the chapter.  It was also frustrating when a day and month would be given and I'd have to back-track to the beginning of the paragraph to confirm what year was being referred to. 

Overall, it was an interesting, if difficult, read.  It is always good to view history through a lens that you didn't experience/learn about.  So, if you're a history buff, I would recommend it, but otherwise, not so sure.

Happy Reading!!

#6--Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonnenblick

So, this time around, I read a book that my students picked for me.  I created a survey for them to fill out and it ended up being a tie--Zen vs. Eragon.  I went with Zen because the author, Jordan Sonnenblick, is coming to our school this spring and I hadn't read Zen yet.  I'm sure at some point I'll get to Eragon, but for now, it will have to wait.

San Lee has attended more schools and had more identities than he can keep track of anymore.  The latest move has him and his mom moving to Pennsylvania from Texas--in the middle of winter.  On his first day of 8th grade in PA, San tries to decide what his identity will be this time around: goth, skater, prep, jock, emo, a Bible-thumper?  Almost by accident, San becomes known as Buddha Boy or Zen master.  The deception starts to take on a life of its own and San finds himself in over his head--and eating a nasty vegetable wrap instead of juicy hamburger.  San is also Chinese--most assume his family emigrated from China and that is where he gets all of his knowlege about Zen Buddhism--but he is, in fact, adopted, and never tells anyone this.  So when his mom shows up and she is most definitely NOT Asian, the walls come a'tumbling down.

I liked this book, but it was not my favorite of Sonnenblick's.....some of his other books include Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie; After Ever After; and Notes from the Midnight Driver (where I got my inspiration for the title of this blog).

Happy Reading!

#5--A Conspiracy of Decency: The Rescue of the Danish Jews During World War II by Emmy E. Werner

When I was a senior in high school I had the opportunity to hear Thomas Keneally speak at Mount Union College when I was there for a visitation day.  For those of you unfamiliar with his name, Keneally is the author of Schindler's List.  Up until that point, I knew about the Holocaust, but I don't think I had given it too much thought outside of history class.  Mr. Keneally made events and people come alive during his presentation and made me want to learn more about the people and the time.  After that, I made a more concerted effort to learn about this period of our world's history.

As a freshman in college I had the privilege to travel to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., as part of an educational trip I took with several of my classmates.  We had a few hours to spend in the museum.  While it was emotionally draining, I found that I could have easily spent the entire week there, absorbing everything.  The following year I took a Holocaust literature class as one of my English electives.  I found this class fascinating while also taxing.  The more I read about this time period, the more interested I became.  Which brings me to today's book.  My mom picked it up for me at the local library's semi-annual book sale this fall because she knew it would interest me, and she was right. 

During 1943, Hitler had decided it was time to take care of the "Jewish problem" in Denmark.  A German named Georg F. Duckwitz learned of the plan and warned the Jews of the impending action.  Almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark was saved by their fellow Danes and the Swedes who gave them asylum.  When many of them returned to Denmark after the war, they found that their homes, belongings, and even pets, had been taken care of.  This book tells the story of many of the rescuers and those they helped, based on first-hand accounts. 

I had learned somewhere along the way that Denmark was an anomaly during World War II in this respect, but I had never gotten the full story, until now. 

If you are interested in this time period, or reading about heroic acts, this was a fascinating read.  There is also quite a bit of literature available, written by those who lived it, if you want to check out something new.  I'd suggest heading to your local library for more information.

Happy reading!

#4--The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

There is something about Jack the Ripper that fascinates many....and I am one of the many.  At least, I am ever since I took a trip to London with some friends a few years ago and we took a "Jack the Ripper" tour on our last night in Jolly Olde England. 

When today's book arrived in the library a few months ago and I was cataloging it for my students, it sparked my interest because of the Ripper connection....and so I knew eventually that I would read it.

Rory Deveaux is from Louisiana and spending the year at a boarding school in London.  The day she arrives seems like just your average day, but something is off.  There has been a murder in the Whitechapel section of London--where the famed Ripper murders occurred during late 1888--and the media are in a tizzy.  When a second murder occurs on September 8--the same day Annie Chapman was murdered in 1888,a woman named Fiona Chapman, and murdered in the same manner that Annie Chapman had been--the tizzy becomes a full-fledged frenzy.  Everyone is concerned that the "double event" of September 30 is coming up.  In the meantime, Rory is seeing people out and about that no one else sees, including who she believes is the murderer, the Ripper.

Why can Rory see these people but no one else can?  Will her parents ship her back to Louisiana before the end of the year because of the danger?  What is going to happen if the police can't capture this new Ripper?

And the big question I want to know the answer to....will there be a sequel?!?!

For further reading on Jack the Ripper, you may want to check out The Ripper and the Royals by Melvyn Fairlough.  I read this one after coming back from England, at the recommendation of our Ripper tour guide.  It is a heavy but fascinating read.

Happy reading!