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!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
#17--The Road by Cormac McCarthy
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!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
#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!
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!
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!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
#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!!
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!!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
#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://bookbub.com/deals/
http://youngedition.pixelofink.com/
http://www.pixelofink.com/
I'm sure there are many others out there as well.
Happy Reading!
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://bookbub.com/deals/
http://youngedition.pixelofink.com/
http://www.pixelofink.com/
I'm sure there are many others out there as well.
Happy Reading!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
#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!!
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!!
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