Weekly Geeks #19: Favorite New Books

The Weekly Geek assignment for the week, to post our favorites so far of books published this year, has made me really really wish I read more "hot off the presses" books! I've only read a handful so far this year, but they are all wonderful, so here's my list as it stands now:

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

The 13th Reality by James Dashner

Farworld by J. Scott Savage

Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

I'm sure I'd add Brisingr to the list if I'd managed to read it by now!

Tuesday Heroes Thoughts

What I'm thinking after last night's episode (beware SPOILERS for those who care!):

**Is it weird that Sylar is growing on me? Why am I finding myself rooting for him? What a strange sensation.
**I can't believe we are left wondering what's up with Mohinder for yet another week!
**Most stand-out line from last night: "I created you."
**The sharing of the "painting the future" power in the desert has me scratching my head. I can't figure out what's going on there.
**AND... has anyone wondered why Matt doesn't seem to be reading minds?
**Daphne is fun, isn't she. And all the comic relief of Hiro and Ando makes me smile.
**It will be interesting to see what future Peter shows present Peter. Looks like more "shooting" Claire.
**Speaking of which, she's kind of bugging me. And her biological mom too. Is there more to her than we thought?

So Heroes fans.... what do YOU think?

Teaser Tuesdays: The Landlord

Teaser Tuesdays asks you to:

Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

Page 179: Jamaica Inn by Daphne DuMaurier

The landlord placed his hand over Mary's mouth and forced her back against the side of the carriage. "You'd inform against me, would you?" he said.

The Sunday Salon: Potpourri Day

**This week I got "caught up"... sort of. I did a review a week, and was caught up for a second. But now I'm behind again and have since finished two more books! So I'll review those this week.

**This morning, I started another book, Jamaica Inn! After seeing it on so many of my challenge lists, I decided I better drop everything else and read it. So I'm a couple of chapters in now, and hope to find lots of time to read it throughout this wonderful Sunday.

**I'm dying to read Brisingr though. I ran out and bought it last week, read the synopsis of the first two books, then hurried and put it down before I was sucked in. Since then it's been begging and pleading with me to read it, BUT I have to read these book fair books first. I don't think I'll be able to hold out much longer though, and perhaps by this time next week I'll be deeply immersed in it!

**Celebrate Banned Books Week this week and go out and read a banned or challenged book! Tons of the best books ever are on the list. So just do it!

** I officially took a book off my nightstand and have declared it a DNF! Yes, I've decided to let A New Earth go for now. Perhaps I'm just not needing to find my life's purpose at the moment. Or maybe I know what it is for now... raise kids, adjust to a new job, read my TBR pile, try to keep the house livable, feed the family, keep all the volunteering jobs going, etc. That's my life's purpose for now. So wow, it feels great to let it go and to not feel the need to finish it at the moment.

** I think that's about all I've got! For Weekly Geeks we are supposed to come up with our favorites so far that's been published this year. I bet my list isn't very big since I tend to read older stuff. Maybe I'll be surprised. Anyway, I'll ponder that today and get back with that list tomorrow.

HAPPY Sunday to all! Read tons!

Weekly Geeks #18: Wrap-Up

So how'd I do with my catching up intentions for Weekly Geeks?

1. I DID do a review a day! Well, and when I say review, you'll realize that that means a whole different thing than when some of you all say review! So... being as short as they are, it wasn't too hard to do one a day! BUT... I was behind, and I did catch up.

2. I DID do a challenge update. I didn't realize I've gotten myself in so many challenges (and another new one just this week.) But you'll notice that there's many many overlaps. Otherwise, it would be a no go for me.

3. I DID NOT update my blog roll yet. Some day.

4. I DID NOT fix side bar stuff. Well, a little. I got rid of the Twilight movie countdown. It was bugging me. I put in a new song and quote. But that's about it. I need to do a few more things. My side bar looks very messy to me. Oh, well.

And that's about it! So, half and half successful I guess!

Special Features

Here's a few of the features I'm having fun with on the blog:

Support Your Local Authors: A perpetual (ongoing) challenge where you buy, read and review authors local to you. Promote them to the rest of us! Click here and comment on this post to join, then when you are ready to

review, click here and comment with your link and I'll add it to the main post.

Suey's Top Tens: Every

now and then, I'll make a list of ten of my favorite books in a particular category. Eventually, I hope to have a big long list of categories. Here's what I have so far:

• Historical Fiction
• Childhood Favorites: Picture Books
• Animal Books
• Read Again for the First Time
• Science Fiction/Fantasy
• Love Triangles
• Chunky Classics

Authors Pick Five: Whenever I have contact with an author, my hope is to ask them what five books have been most influential in their life. Here's what I have so far:

• Paul Harris
• Cathy Holton
• J. Scott Savage
• Angela Morrison
• David Ebershoff
• James Dashner

The Bookword Game: An idea hatched by Raidergirl3 of An Adventure in Reading, and she asked if I could be part of it. It's a game where we think of a bookish situation that needs a word to describe, and you, our readers think of, then vote on the words. Very fun! Join us! Here's what we have so far:

• RecommenDud: A book you hate that everyone else love
• CheckBook: A book that you find yourself checking to see how many more pages are left, on every single page!
• Memoread: A book that reminds you of another book you have already read, not necessarily in plot, but in tone and atmosphere.
• Wait-listed: A book that continually gets moved to the 'next in the pile,' but never gets read.
• Marginally Challenged: A book with very little space between lines (likely, it's a public domain book/classic) giving deceivingly few pages to read.
• Misunderbook: A book that you LOVE, but everyone else (well almost everyone) HATES.
• A Flick Pick: A book you read after you've seen the movie.
• Olibook: A book you read because you think you should in order to be well-read.
• Whoopsabooksy: A book you buy that you forgot you already read/own.

The Printz Project: After reading a loving several Printz award or honor winners, I decided I needed to read them all. A project or challenge of this sort didn't exist, so Jessica of The Bluestocking Society and I created one. Join us! It's an ongoing, perpetual, easy challenge.

Weekly Geeks: A wonderful weekly meme started by blogger extraordinaire, Dewey. When she passed on, a few of us came together to make sure Weekly Geeks lived on. I'm happy to be part of that group, and will be posting a question or project now and then on the Weekly Geek blog.

What the family is reading: This is an official feature of sorts where every now and then in a Sunday Salon post , I'll list.... what the family is reading. People seem to enjoy it, so I'll keep it up. The family consists of: The Mr., Bud (20, and away from home at the moment), JJ (17), Moder (14) and Toto (10). Click here for an example.

Review: The Loser's Guide to Life and Love by A.E. Cannon

Book: The Loser's Guide to Life and Love by A.E. Cannon

Genre: YA Romance

Rating: A

For: Fun!

I bought this book from the author herself when she came to visit our library this summer. She was wonderful and the book sounded so funny, so you know, I was a goner!

This story is fun modern re-telling of A Midsummer Night's Dream. There's this boy and girl who are best buddies and work at a video store together. While waiting for his own badge to be made, the boy has to wear a name badge that says Sergio, obviously not his name. But when a cute girl comes into the store that he instantly falls in love with, he pretends like it IS his name and that he has an exotic past. Meanwhile, his friend (the one that's a girl) is falling in love too, and his other friend (the one that's a boy) joins the fun and falls in love. Everyone gets all mixed up with who is who and who loves who! It's hilarious! I loved it! Yet another cute teen romance to devour in a day.

Challenge Update

As part of Weekly Geeks this week, I'm getting caught up! Posting a review every day is going well. Now, here's a little update on challenges with links to "done" books.

2008 TBR Challenge: Rread 12 books that's been sitting around, waiting their turn for awhile (at least six months.)

Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier
The Painted Veil by Somerset Maugham
Man and Wife by Wilkie Collins (currently reading... sort of)
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
Eugenie Grandet by Balzac
Messenger by Lois Lowrey (done with this one but must not have officially reviewed it!)

The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld

Magyk by Angie Sage
Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

Quentins by Maeve Binchy

Book Awards II Challenge: Moving very slowly on this one... again!

Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorenson
The Twenty-one Balloons by William Pène du Bois
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
The March by E.L. Doctorow
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

To Say Nothing About the Dog by Connie Willis

Classics Challenge: This one runs through December this year. I've made one replacement from my original list:

1. Man and Wife by Wilkie Collins (currently reading)

2. Eugenie Grandet by Balzac
3.The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

4. The Little Prince by Saint Exupéry
5. War and Peace by Tolstoy (currently reading!)

Bonus: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

YA Romance Challenge: Nearly finished with this one.

1. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

2. Snow, Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

3. It's a Mall World After All by Janette Rallison

4. Revenge of the Cheerleaders by Janette Rallison

5. Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

6. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

The Pulitzer Project: Add one to the done list: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay!

RIP III: I first committed to one book: Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier (because as you see, it's already on a challenge list!) However, since then I've read a cute kid's ghost story Deep and Dark and Dangerous, so, if I still get to Jamaica Inn, I'm doing better than I thought I would! Getting to Jamaica Inn will be the trick though.

Lit Flicks Challenge: To read five books that have been made into movies, and watch at least two of those movies.... by end of February.

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
2. Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier
3. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
4. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
5. All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

Joining Lit Flicks Challenge

I've been fighting the urge to join the Lit Flicks Challenge. That's quite obvious since it started a month ago now and I'm just now finally deciding to do it. Why now? Because I realized that many of the books I already had planned fit the criteria. So why NOT?

This challenge is hosted by Jessica at The Bluestocking Society and here are the rules:

1. Challenge runs from September 1, 2008 to February 28, 2009.

2. Read 5 books/pieces of literature that have been made into movies.

3. Then watch at least 2 of the movie adaptations of the works you read.

4. Your list may change at any time and may include overlaps with other challenges.

So my list of five books are (at this point anyway):

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

2. Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier

3. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

4. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

5. All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

Wish me luck!

Review: Revenge of the Cheerleaders by Janette Rallison

Book: Revenge of the Cheerleaders by Janette Rallison

Genre: YA Romance

Rating: A

For: YA Romance Challenge

I read this one quite awhile back and just never took the time to talk about it. I don't know why since I loved it. I decided if I ever write a book, it's going to be like Janette Rallison's books. Light, cute, fluffy and funny. Though I have a feeling I'll have a tough time with the funny part. Dang!

Anyway, this book is a spin off of one of her other books All's Fair in Love and War and High School. Same characters, but told from the point of view of a different girl. Yes, she is a cheerleader. BUT, she is extremely sick of being made fun of by her sister's boyfriend, who writes songs to torment her. When he enters an American Idol-like contest, she ends up entering too (sort of by mistake, but still.) And so the revenge begins.

Things get crazy from there! I love this stuff. So fun. Total escape kind of stories. Now I think I'm almost caught up with all her books, and then, I'll read them as they come out!

Booking Through Thursday: Well, That Was Different!

Booking Through Thursday

What was the most unusual (for you) book you ever read? Either because the book itself was completely from out in left field somewhere, or was a genre you never read, or was the only book available on a long flight… whatever? What (not counting school textbooks, though literature read for classes counts) was furthest outside your usual comfort zone/familiar territory?

And, did you like it? Did it stretch your boundaries? Did you shut it with a shudder the instant you were done? Did it make you think? Have nightmares? Kick off a new obsession?

I think The Life of Pi, though not a different genre for me, was a very unusual book and one that I definately said at the end.... "well, that was different!" And yes I liked it...no, actually, I loved it! Yes, it made me think and in a big big way, but no it did not give me nightmares.

A book that was a bit of a new genre for me and one that I really wanted to read but made me nervous was The Stand by Stephen King. But, I made it all the way through and I didn't shut it with a shudder! It very much made me think, but luckily, did NOT give me nightmares! However, I don't think it's sparked a Stephen King obsession or anything. He still makes me nervous.

Those are the only ones coming to mind at the moment. I'm sure there are others, but I just can't think of them!

Review: A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

Book: A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

Genre: Juvenile Fiction (younger than YA... 8-12 year old age)

Rating: A

For: Book Fair preparation

What a cute story this was! VERY easy reading, clever, fun characters, and a simple message. It's about an 11 year old girl, Zoe, who wants desperately bad to play the piano. However, she ends up with an organ instead. She plugs forward anyway, and gets entered into a contest. It's very stressful for her. But what's even more stressful than the organ/piano stuff is her dad. He's got some major issues. And then there's her friends who aren't really friends. So she looks elsewhere for friends and finds them in unlikely places!

Great, uplifting, wonderful story for the upper elementary age group. Hopefully I can book talk it well and kids will want to buy it.

Teaser Tuesdays: Valency Goes Dancing

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!



page 107 of The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery:

"It was at this moment that she saw Barney Snaith looking in over the heads of the crowds at the doorway. Valency had two distinct convictions-- one was that she was quite safe now; the other was that this was why she had wanted to come to the dance."

Review: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Book: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Genre: YA SF

Rating: A

For: FUN!

I've been hearing about this book around the blogosphere for quite some time now. Every one's been raving about it, and when I realized it's by the same author of a book I read way back when that I loved (Scribbler of Dreams) I knew I had to track it down and read it quick! So, when I did a for fun Amazon order the other day, this was one of the books I got.

I was captured from the very first line, "I used to be Jenna Fox." This is a story about a girl who wakes up from a coma with amnesia. She is given a bunch of dvds of her life to help her remember who she is. However, she continues to struggle with her identity. What makes her who she is? Anyway, as she slowly "wakes up", she starts to learn all kinds of strange and interesting things that really cause her to start questioning herself. And her parents.

Lots to think about here! This IS a great one! Everyone was right!

Also reviewed by:

Becky's Book Reviews

Book Nut

Savvy Verse and Wit

Random Thoughts on Heroes

So, as some of you may know, last night was the season premiere of Heroes. As some of you may or may not know, I'm a huge fan. And it's been a LONG time since there's been a Heroes episode, so last night was quite exciting for us Heroes fans.

Anyway, I'm hoping that there's some of you out there that are also big on Heroes and will throw out your thoughts to me about all the crazy goings on with that show.

Here's a few of my random thoughts from last night. Beware.... a ton of spoilers!

So let me sum up: Everyone who didn't have powers now has them. Everyone who was dead is alive. (Except Eve... I want them to bring Eve back!) Everyone who was good is bad. Everyone who was bad... is still bad.

Is that about it?

Wait, there's more:

I can't believe Sylar got to Claire so easy... after all the stress of season one!

What's up with future Peter? He's a little scary. And how did he get his present Peter self in another body? Is that a new power?

And Mohinder! Sheesh! THAT was wierd! He went a little balistic, no? But now what? I am so nervous about him....

I have to say, I wish Nicki would have stayed dead. At least, if that Tracy (can't remember how they spelled it but I know it wasn't the normal way) person even is Nicki.

Interesting to finally know what Mrs. Petrelli's power is. That was sort of an.. "oh, by the way" kind of thing. But the "dream" they showed... how awful was that?!

And what's up with Ando? He can't go bad too! NO! But I did like the new character in that storyline... Daphne was it? She was pretty funny.

So is Mr. Linderman a ghost? And not really back alive?

And WHAT was that "oh, but I am your mom" thing right at the end? Are we supposed to take that literally? ACK!!!

Okay, that's all I've got for now. Let me know what you think, my fellow fans.

Review: Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Book: Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Genre: YA SF

Rating: A

For: Scholastic Book Fair Prepration

A new series by the author of the Shadow Children series, which I loved! This series is called The Missing with Found being the first one. The book opens with a mysterious plane arriving out of nowhere filled with babies. Thirteen years later, those babies, all who have been adopted and living normal lives, start getting really strange letters. The excitment escalates when our heroes start investigating things and asking questions and making phone calls. I can't tell you the whole premise of the story from there because it will give way too much away. But, I'm truly excited about this new series and will be a follower of all that comes later.

Upcoming Book Club Schedule

Last week I had the book club over for the first meeting of the "new year." We take a summer break, so fall is when we start over and plan our schedule. Anyway, I thought perhaps some of you may be interested to see what we've come up with to read this next year:

October: The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
November: Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
December: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (to support our library's Big Read program)
January: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
February: The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison (local author)
March: Elantris by Brandon Sanderson ( local author)
April: Mrs. Mike by Benedict Freedman
May: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (because so many of the group haven't read it yet)

And hopefully, The Kite Runner, also because so many of the group haven't read it yet. But we were hoping for a book club set, and it's all booked up at this point. So we'll wait to see on this one.

What do you think? I'm very excited about them all!

The Sunday Salon: I'm Off to Read NOW!

My Sunday reading hasn't gone too well today. Wow, Sundays can fly by!

I did read a bit this morning... just a bit. It's YA... well, actually not even a YA, younger than YA... what's the official name for that category? Juvenile? Anyway, it's called A Crooked Kind of Perfect and it's my current quick read to prepare for book talks at the book fair. I'm really liking it so far. A very cute story about a 10 year old girl who is dying to become an expert piano player and is getting obstacles thrown in her way left and right.

So anyway. Then it was church. Then it was dinner. Then someone talked me into a big bike ride. Now, it's now and I'm messing around on the computer and watching Josh being silly on the Emmy's!

And now that he's done "singing" or whatever it was he was doing and now that there's nothing more to report on my Sunday reading, maybe I'll go read for a bit..... besides that, people are standing over my shoulder begging for the computer....

Oh, and someone just brought us a HUGE bag of peaches, so maybe I won't read at all, but will make some peachy type thing to eat.

Review: Schooled by Gordon Korman

Book: Schooled by Gordon Korman

Genre: YA

Rating: A

For: Scholastic Book Fair

I totally enjoyed this book! It's about a kid (named Capricorn... Cap for short) who has been raised by his grandma in a "hippy" commune... only it's not really a commune anymore since it's just him and his grandma. Well, one day, his grandma gets hurt and has to spend a couple of months at the hospital so Cap is thrust into "normal" society. Of course, this includes going to junior high school and all that implies. Poor Cap.

Or maybe we should say poor entire junior high school! This is a great story with a great moral. It reminded a lot of Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. I loved it.

Weekly Geeks #18: Catching Up

Dewey suggests for our Weekly Geek experience this week that we catch up on something... well, specifically something that has to do with our blog! I'm pretty much behind on everything. So I'll go ahead and commit to catching up.

Since I've been reading a bunch of YA again this past little bit, I've gotten way behind in reviewing them. Also, I've not been in much of a reviewing mood, and don't know if I am even yet... so these reviews may be even shorter than normal! But hey, I figure you've all got so many blogs to read, that the shorter the better, really. Right?

So, I'll do a review a day. (Eeekkk!) Hopefully Blogger will get over whatever hiccup it's having today or else maybe I'll be doing no blogging at all. I don't' know about you guys, but it's really bugging me today.

Also, I want to try to update my side bars and blog roll a bit. And if I'm really doing well with all that, maybe a challenge catch up post.

But as far as catching up with the Google Reader. I don't think THAT is ever going to happen. It's hopeless there!

New Books!

So the other day I went to that amazing book sale I've talked about before. It's at someone's house, like a garage sale, and they sell novels for 25 cents, paperback or no. I spent $9 and here's what I came home with:
And here's the kids' book pile of that day. Sorry a bit blurry.


But today, here's what I got, even though I have no time at all to read it, but that's beside the point! I'm so excited! Do remember my reaction to the end of Eldest? Let me just refresh your memory:



"First of all, his writing is amazing. Second, his imagination and story and plot detail are amazing! Then, at the end, there was a surprise twist that I SO didn't see coming that I sat up from my nice relaxed position, gasped, moaned, grabbed my head, felt instant tears coming, moaned some more, tried to breathe, etc.! Sheesh!!! Yes, I do get a bit emotionally involved in certain books. Bud, who was in the room with me said, "Is your head okay? What's wrong? The book? What, mom, what?!!!" It goes without saying that I can't wait for the third of this trilogy."







Then, the other day I got this book from Borders using a gift card that I had:

Hmmm.... I don't think I'll be running out books anytime soon.

Weekly Geeks #17: Seventh Quote of the Week

I just have to end this fun quote week with three of my favorite book quotes, all of them probably already shared out there by someone!

"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it is too dark to read."

-- Groucho Marx

"The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them."

--Mark Twain

"She is too fond of books and it has addled her brain."

-- Louisa May Alcott

Last Day of BBAW!

Wow! What a week! Here's what I liked the best:

** All the blogging activity. It's been insane! It's been fun trying to keep up with everyone, though I haven't even come close. It all makes my head spin!

** I've had fun doing the little "assignments" every day that Amy has suggested. I like assignments! They make me happy.

** New-to-me blogs. Lots and lots of 'em. Many that I'm sad I didn't know about sooner. Where have I been?

** All the give aways. I only entered a few. And most likely I won't win one, but it's all fun anyway. I didn't do one of my own (I was discouraged with the one giveaway I did do awhile back... but I'll try again another day when it's not so crazy!)

** The fun awards. Some of my favorites won, and some didn't. But congratulations to all!

** Doing the interview exchange! That was fun too.

Way to go Amy for such a great idea! And I do hope you take a nice blogcation, or whatever you called it.

Anyway, thanks for the fun BBAW everyone!

Weekly Geeks #17: Sixth Quote of the Week

“When I was your age,

television was called books.”

Let me just say that I'm happy to have both! I quite looking forward to TV "coming back" this next week!

Weekly Geeks #17: Fifth Quote of the Week

"One should not be too severe on English novels; they are the only relaxation of the intellectually unemployed."

-- Oscar Wilde

I'm not sure why, but this one just makes me grin.

BBAW: Links to Me

Today's "assignment" for BBAW is to talk up our own blog! So I've been having fun finding some of my favorite posts:

Favorite List Post: I really enjoyed thinking up this Favorite Authors List



Favorite Review Post: The Last Lecture



Longest Post: Farworld Blog Tour

Shortest Post: Yet Another Twilight Trailer

Post with the most hits (though only one comment!): What is Jason Castro Reading?

Post with the most comments (21.. I know it's a drop in the bucket for most of you!): Movie Quote Meme

A couple of posts just about me: Eight Things About Me, Interesting or Not, A Few of my Favorite Things

Posts No One Likes (Except Me): Anything to do with Josh Groban

A Musical Post: Seven Songs Music Meme



A Random Favorite Post: Weekly Geek Author Picture Game


Ah, the memories!

Booking Through Thursday: Autumn Reading

Booking Through Thursday

Autumn is starting (here in the US, anyway), and kids are heading back to school–does the changing season change your reading habits? Less time? More? Are you just in the mood for different kinds of books than you were over the summer?

The season change doesn't really affect my reading habits. Well, in the summer I can usually read more... but this summer I didn't. Also, sometimes in the summer I read more YA books, which is why the numbers go up. But, right now I'm reading tons of YA too, for the book fair, so the numbers will be up this month too. But basically, the seasons changing doesn't change my mood for reading, or amount of time. I just try to cram as much reading in as I can, no matter what the month! :)

Weekly Geeks #17: Fourth Quote of the Week

" One day I will write verses about him and see how he likes it."

--- Christopher Milne about his father, A. A. Milne


Ah... poor Christopher Robin. Loosen up! :)

BBAW: Talking Blogging

The BBAW Question(s) of the day, as proposed by Amy, are as follows:

What is one thing you wish you knew about blogging when you started or what advice would you give a newbie blogger?

The advice I'd give a newbie is pretty much the same as the tips I wrote down below. Mainly, don't be shy. This is my biggest problem. I started out as a bit of shy blogger, and I still am, really, though I think I'm getting better. But take for instance, the whole BBAW thing. The crowd participating is a bit intimidating to me... I feel like I get lost in all the commotion and have a tendency to scoot to the back and just observe, the same as I would be doing if it were a real life party. So my advice is, don't do that! You have to fight the shyness and just do stuff anyway!

What is your best blogging tip?

If you want readers, you've got to tell people you have a blog! Comment a lot on other blogs. Don't make your blog too complicated and unreadable. Be personable. Have fun!

Review: Deep and Dark and Dangerous: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn

Book: Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn

Genre: YA Paranormal

Rating: B+

This is one of the first books I've read to prepare for the upcoming Scholastic Book Fair this yearbecause among other things, I'll be helping with the book talks. (That's where we promote and talk up the books to every class in the school.)

Last year for the book fair I read The Old Willis Place by the same author. I think I liked that one better... there was more of a element of surprise to it or something. A touch more creepiness.

However, I like these books though, because they aren't too creepy for kids. They're great ghost stories, without scaring the kids and giving them nightmares. This particular story is about a girl who goes off with her aunt and her cousin to spend the summer at a lonely lake cottage where her aunt and mom used to come as girls. But, there's something that happened there in the past that neither of them (the aunt and mom) want to talk about. She is very anxious to figure that out, of course.

Meanwhile, they (the girl and her little cousin that she's tending all summer while the aunt paints) meet a raggedy, mean-spirited girl that causes them all kinds of grief and tries to ruin their whole summer experience.

All and all, a great ghost story for kids.

And even though I committed to reading only one book for the RIP Challenge, and it wasn't this one... I just think I'm still going to count it for that challenge! Now it's Peril the Second for me! :)

Teaser Tuesdays: Opps, Sorry

Teaser Tuesdays

Rules:

--Grab your current read.
--Let the book fall open to a random page.
--Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
--You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
--Please avoid spoilers!

From page141 of Schooled by Gordon Korman:

"When the burning haze cleared from my eyes, the first person I saw was Zach, untouched and laughing at me. Down at my feet lay Cap, out cold, his nose gushing blood like a geyser."

Weekly Geeks #17: Third Quote of the Week

"If I read a book that impresses me, I have to take myself firmly in hand before I mix with other people, otherwise they would think my mind rather queer."

-- Anne Frank

Yep, I know the feeling! :)