Meme: Book 123

Hey! What d'ya know! I got tagged! This comes to me from Margo.

It's a familiar meme and most of you have probably seen it before.

The rules of this particular meme are:
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages)
2. Open the book to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence
4. Post the next three sentences
5. Tag five people

This book has been sitting here by the computer forever. I have no idea why since I don't think anyone has been reading it.

The book: Guardians of Ga'hoole book three: The Rescue by Kathryn Lasky.

"Do you think that his disappearance has
something to do with his past-- with someone who wants to get
even?"

Octavia coiled up and extended her head
directly toward Soren. He had that same feeling again as if her gaze were
penetrating his deepest thoughts.

As for that 5th rule. I always break it. I know. Call me party pooper. But please, if you're in the mood, feel free to try this!

Book Fair Wrap Up!

Today I'm wrapping up the book fair. Yeah! It's been a crazy week.

Here's what's been popular this time around... books we haven't been able to keep in stock:

Swindle by Gordon Korman

Diary of a Wimpy Kid... books 1 and 2 by Jeff Kinney

No Talking by Andrew Clements

The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters... books 1 and 2 of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

Books I'll be buying today for my kids (and couple I already bought for a birthday):

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules by Jeff Kinney

The Fall of the Templar (#3 in the Grey Griffens series) by Derek Benz and J. S. Lewis

Oggie Cooder by Sarah Weeks

The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker

When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park

and a Hannah Montanta book.... yuck.

Booking Through Thursday: But, Enough About Books.....

Booking Through Thursday

Okay, even I can’t read ALL the time, so I’m guessing that you folks might voluntarily shut the covers from time to time as well… What else do you do with your leisure to pass the time? Walk the dog? Knit? Run marathons? Construct grandfather clocks? Collect eggshells?

My problem is this: I like to do so many different things that I end up not doing any of them very well, or finding time to really get into doing them. Some of them are:

Quilting. I go in spurts on this one. I'm in a non-spurt right now, but I have many projects that are calling me to come finish them. I have been taking a little block of the month class, and that's about to wrap up, and that's been fun. But then I'll have to put those blocks together and finish them too!

Family History. To me this not only includes actual researching ones ansestors, which I'd like to do more of but don't, but also the scrapbooking hobby that so many like to do. I do this to some extent and I keep up books for all the kids, but I don't do the over-the-top extremely cool pages that "real" scrapbookers do! Besides scrapbooking, I play with home videos and try to make fun movie compilations with them. I've also compiled my grandparents histories and hope to do my parents some day too. I also keep up huge photo albums with all our family pictures.

Traveling. A few years ago we bought a travel trailer, so we love to get out in that and go camping, or just find some out of the way location and see something new. We are also finding a new love of cruising and that may become a big part of our future. I love road trips and want to see the whole country some day by driving all the back roads. Then, there's the dream of seeing all of Europe!

TV and Movies. Like many of you (I've been reading several answers already and it's amazing how much we all have in common!) I love to hang out in front of the TV. This "hobby" has intensified with the invention of Tivo... or in our case the computer set-up that can record shows. My favorite TV shows currently: Heroes, Lost, Amazing Race, Survivor, American Idol, Pushing Daisies, Moonlight, Friday Night Lights, Masterpiece Theater.... and various others here and there. I also love movies, especially when we get a chance to go to the big screen and see a movie when it first comes out.

Music. I love music as much as books. I got an Ipod for Christmas (finally!) and have been spending lots of time trying to get all my music on it. That's a project! And my love for anything and everything Josh Groban could be considered its own hobby in and of itself! I love going to concerts (I think last summer there were about 12 or so... including Josh!) and to Broadway shows. Love, love, love it!

Kids. Much of my time is spent keeping kids going here and there. With three teenagers now and one pre-teen (is a nearly nine year old considered preteen these days?) life is quite busy with them!

Jane Austen Fever

Have not you all been seriously enthralled with the Complete Jane Austen on PBS this past fortnight or two? Indeed, upon my word, I have been duly enamored! All the wonderful heroes.... have not they been exeedingly fine? They have all captured my most ardant affections... indeed they have!

Peruse for yourself and see:

January Recap of Books Read

Here's what I managed for this month:

The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
True Believer by Virginia Euwer Wolff
Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolf
Forever in Blue by Ann Brashares
The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley

My favorite? Not counting The Book Thief, a re-read of one of my top tens of last year, next in line would be Speak. I also really enjoyed The Secret Hour. It appears I'm still on my YA kick, huh? Wow, my brain just seems to be rebelling against "real" books! :)

War and Peace update: Yes, I'm still reading this, plugging along slowly. I'm on page 254, which puts me just starting Part 3 of Book One. Hmmm. Behind already with the Yahoo group, but there's always a chance that I may catch up!

Review: The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld

Book: The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld (first in the series The Midnighters)

Genre: YA SF

Rating: A

Ever since reading the Uglies series, I've been anxious to try some more books by this author. So I finally picked this one up and totally enjoyed it! Wow, it's just one adventure after another in this book. It's about a group of kids for whom time stands still for one hour at midnight. And there's some pretty creepy stuff that goes on during that hour! I can't wait to get to the 2nd book!

Review: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Book: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Genre: YA

Rating: A

I've been hearing a lot about this book lately, so I nabbed it one day at the library when I happened upon it and read it last week in just a day or so.

It's yet again a story about a girl struggling through high school. Struggling with her friends, her self-esteem, her grades, her parents... every thing. This girl also has a secret, one that we don't learn about until towards the end, but also, one that's quite easy to guess at. This secret has caused the world to fall out from under her and she deals with it mainly by not talking to anyone, the complete opposite of what kids should really do.

I totally enjoyed this book, the style, the characters and the lessons taught.