Not What I Was Expecting

I am impatient for spring.  I'm tilling in the garden; I've started the seeds in the big window (I have a one-inch-tall sunflower!).  We now have the most gardening space we've ever had, so I am trying to make the best possible plans.  No more container gardening around here!   These books I didn't actually read, because none of them turned out to be what I had inferred from the titles. 


Beyond the Bean Seed: Gardening Activities for Grades K-6, by Nancy Allen Jurenka and Rosanne J. Blass. Although it claims to be from 1996, it looks much older.  Like, mid-70s older.  Also, it's not super-helpful for me, because it is a book of lesson plans.  Not quite what I had in mind.


A Child's Garden: 60 Ideas to Make any Garden Come Alive for Children, by Molly Dannenmaier.  This is a big book full of colorful, glossy photos.  Unfortunately, unless you have two acres, some hundred-year-old trees, and more than my current annual salary to drop on two-story tree houses and rerouting a small river through your yard, none of these ideas are doable.  And because you can't do them, you ought to feel guilty, because a good parent/gardener WOULD do it.
We have a standard yard (grass, a few trees) and a 6 by 20 garden patch; I cannot grow a secluded grove, and I think the lady we're renting from would be upset if we added ponds and bridges.  Out of the 60 ideas, one is actually workable and something I will look in to.  And I found it in the lesson-plan book first.
The writing style in this book seemed absurdly academic.  Who is the audience supposed to be? 


Attracting Native Pollinators: Protecting North America's Bees and Butterflies, by The Xerces Society.  So I've been doing The Great Sunflower Project thing for a few years, and I was hoping for a book that would give me a list of native flowers to include in my garden.  This is a huge book, and it does have that information.  It also has whole chapters on what you should plant if you have huge amounts of acreage, what you should do for bees and butterflies on golf courses and other huge areas, etc.  The first half of the book was all about how important pollinators are, their various life cycles in minute detail, what happens to flowers with them, what happens to flowers without them... I got what I needed, but it was hard to find in the book.

Mainly I am looking for a book that will tell me if I ought to plant the lettuces and tomatoes in rows or rings or clumps, how high the mounds have to be for the squashes, and if it matters if it goes carrots-lettuce-pumpkins, or backwards.  In the absence of anything else, my current plan is to plant things in order of height.

i saw spring peek out this morning.

This post has taken me forever, because the internet is out at the house again. So I've done this one 10 minutes at a time on my breaks at work. 

Beauty Queens, by Libba Bray.    I saw promo material for this one starting a long time ago, and I wasn't sure.  I feel that the quality of this author's writing has been all over the place in her books I've read in the past, and I wasn't sold on the story line: it could bomb or rock, and I couldn't tell beforehand.  I'm definitely glad I read the book, because it was awesome.  And, in addition to being a fun read and well-written, there are some "issues" in the book that would be good for discussion.  They don't jump out or break up the flow of the story, but are there for anyone who might be paying attention. 

The Preservationist, by David Maine.  This book was pretty well-written.  There were 8 different characters, all of whom had a few chapters told from their points of view-- in first person, no less-- and the author succeeded in giving them each a different voice.  I never forgot who was speaking in any chapter.  What I'm not sure about is the main-main character, while having chapters dedicated to him, was the only character not to speak in first person.  His chapters were told in third person.  It isn't clear to me why.

We have finished the final discs for Hamish Macbeth.  Why, BBC, why?  First, the series finale, while an interesting story, pretty well came out of nowhere.  It wasn't in keeping with either the feel, almost even the genre, or the previous episodes.  It brought up questions it didn't answer.  It focused on character traits that hadn't been important before.  It really came out of left field and wasn't a very good series ender.

The other thing from this season I don't understand is that two new characters, each of whom appeared in 2-4 episodes as minor characters, were voiced over, and poorly done at that.  One of the characters was a young teen boy, maybe 12-14, and the actor didn't seem to bad.  But all his lines were voiced over by a middle-aged woman trying to sound like a child.  It was obvious and horrible.  A character who appeared in the finale was also voiced over, and it wasn't as horrendous, but why would you cast someone and then voice them over?  Surely the directors could have found someone who could walk around and talk at the same time.

Daughter of Joy, by Joann Levy. I go through phases were I focus on other genres, but I think historical fiction is my all-time true love, and my dirty little secret is that 1700s-1800s American historical fiction is truly my favorite.  I think this is due primarily to the fact that I didn't have many books growing up, but I have always been a voracious reader.  There was a period in grade school, as I recall, when the only books I had on my shelves were the Little House on the Praire boxed set, and a smattering of Babysitters Club, and I would read them over and over and over.  My truly dirty horrible secret is that, after Star Trek: Voyager, my favorite TV series is probably Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.  What am I, a 40-year-old housewife?  I know.  It's terrible.
So this is historical fiction, mid-1800s, following Chinese immigrants in California.  The book is extremely well-researched and well-written.  The only thing I feel a little iffy about is, at the beginning of the book, it isn't clear who the main character is going to be.  The way it's presented, I thought the male character would turn out to be more important, or at least equally important, to the female main character, but the book really is her story a lot more than his.  But that ambiguity was pretty minor in the scope of things.

And, I finally found my little notebook of quotes I thought worth writing down.  The quote I wanted to mention in this post is "Truth is female, since truth is beauty rather than handsomeness; this... would certainly explain the saying that a lie could run around the world before Truth has got its, correction, her boots on, since she would have to choose which pair-- the idea that any woman in a position to choose would have just one pair of boots being beyond rational belief.  Indeed, as a goddess she would have lots of shoes, and thus many choices: comfy shoes for home truths, hobnail boots for unpleasant truths, simple clogs for universal truths and possibly some kind of slipper for self-evident truth."  Unseen Academicals, pg. 62-63.

Between excursions out into the snow.

The new job is going well.  Now that I've finished some parts of the training and am getting to do stuff with my department, it is more exciting.  I like to see *results*.

One to Nine: The Inner Life of Numbers, by Andrew Hodges.    I sometimes worry about my innumeracy; this was to help me with that.  The introduction was good, very basic and written in a personable style.  However, once the chapters started, it was rather a let down.  It started quickly using advanced (I dunno, for me, anyway) ideas, and what wasn't uber-advanced was quoted.  It seemed that the author spent an inordinate amount of time reviewing previous works and quoting huge pieces of them.  Not an enjoyable book.

Zero to Lazy Eight: The Romance of Numbers, by Alexander Humez, Nicholas Humez, and Joseph Maguire.  513.2  This book was more enjoyable and easier to follow.  There was alot about different theories that, I admit, I didn't always follow and certainly don't really remember, but I made it through the book without feeling completely lost.  The author's style was readable.

Kate, by Kathleen Magill.    I don't know what I read about this that made me want to read it.  It started out interesting and got bad quickly.  But I kept reading it because it was like watching a train wreck; it kept getting more and more absurd, and most of the book's entertainment value was in watching that unfold.  It is not worth the shelf space in any library.

Beastly, by Alex Flinn.    I was holding on to this since this past summer (or was it two summers ago?), when it was popular, a recent movie adaptation, and one of our teen summer reading program giveaways.  Yeah, so however long ago that was.
The writing could have been a little better, but it was acceptable, certainly appropriate for the intended audience.  The retelling was interesting; I didn't get everything out of it that the author said she included in her notes at the end, but it was much more than an updating of the Disney movie.


and now for something completely different!  I'm going to try including media I consume, since that is now under my purview as well.  I might stop, or change how I do it, or experiment otherwise.

Hamish MacBeth, starring Robert Carlyle, by the BBC.  I am mid-way through the final season (there are three), and I really enjoy this series.  The reason I tend to like BBC shows is that, unlike alot of American TV, the episodes just tell a story.  There's not a horrendous amount of drama or suspense, there's no forced comedy; I'm making it sound boring, but that is not the case. BBC is like reading Little House on the Prairie; American TV is like James Patterson.
Some notes on the production: like many BBC DVDs, subtitles are not an option on these.  Subtitles would be especially appreciated in this series, because it is set in Scotland, and some of the accents are so thick I have trouble following.  There are some inconsistencies with the sound as a result of how it was filmed; the parts that are loud are really really loud, the whispers are completely inaudible.  These detract a little from the watching, but aren't enough that I would stop buying BBC productions.
The only other thing giving me a little trouble is that, after season one, two of the actors for fairly central characters were replaced.  The show takes place in a small town, and there are a ton of characters to keep track of, and the switch makes it a little harder. 

silly bloggy thing.

I don't usually do this on here, since this isn't a personal blog, but I'm willing to try something new to humor my family.  I was tagged by Jacqueline.

The Rules:
1.  You must post the rules.
2.  Post 12 fun facts about yourself on the blog post.
3.  Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create 5 new questions for the people you tagged.
4.  Tag 5 people and link them on your post.

12 Fun Facts About Me:
1.  I love the BBC.  I will watch anything they make, and enjoy most of it.
2.  Despite my English undergrad, MLS, and 3 years working in the library, I have never read Jane Austen.  I don't intend to.
3.  I have known my husband for more than half my life.
4.  I finish over 220 books every year, not including picture books.
5.  I am certified in both librarianship and foster care in two states.
6.  I am also certified in CPR, first aid, and AED operation by the Red Cross, and as a Notary Public by the State of Indiana.
7.  I can quit coffee, but caffeine-free-me has the worst vocabulary ever.
8.  But it's a delicate balance because too much coffee makes my eyelids twitch.
9. I can't fall asleep if I don't read in bed.
10. I have an apocalypse readiness plan (zombie or otherwise) and you want me on your team.
11. I would like to learn to spin.  I feel like this necessitates getting a llama.
12. I am surprisingly good at tennis.

My Answers to Jacqueline’s Questions:
1.  What is one of your most beloved childhood memories?
I remember almost nothing from before I was 14 (and I remember very little about my life after that, for that matter), so I can never answer this question.  But I do remember explaining this to my dad one time.  Our family was on vacation from California to Washington, and we were eating at a KFC somewhere in Oregon.  We had seen the sea lion caves earlier that day.  I promised my dad I would remember that day, so I always have, but I don't remember anything else from that vacation.

2.  When was the last time you tried something new and how did it play out?
I'm being trained on new procedures at my new library, but I don't think that's what this means.  I tried some new recipes at Christmas that turned out pretty well, but, quite honestly, I rather anticipated success.  I dunno, I generally don't try things that I think are too big of a gamble.  I stick with things I think I have a reasonable expectation to succeed at. 

3.  What can you do today that you were not capable of a year ago?
I can now knit on double-pointed needles.

4.  What is one thing you have not done yet that you really want to do?
I am really excited to take our son camping.  He loves being outside and exploring.  I think he will be ready this summer.

5.  Which one of your responsibilities do you wish you could get rid of?
I don't like the pressure of being the primary wage-earner and the sole insurance-provider for my family.  I kind of wish I could work part-time.

Tagged Blogs:
1.  Ted's 150 Day Weight Loss Challenge.
2.  Common Sense.
3.  The Crolian Progressive.
4.  Ms. Yingling Reads.
5.  [I don't actually follow any other single-person blogs.  I'm open to suggestions.]

Questions for Those I’ve Tagged:
1.  If you could bring a fictional character to life, who would you choose?
2.  If you could live anywhere care-free (ie, guaranteed job, apartment, no problems with cost of living, etc.), where would you choose?
3.  If you were able to pick a new first name that more accurately describes you, what would it be?
4.  Would you change your undergrad program or career path, knowing what you know now?
5.  If you could legalize or illegalize one thing, no questions asked, what would it be?

re-employed.

I almost don't know how to find things to read anymore.  For more than two years, my method has been to write down titles that look interesting while I am doing my ordering, or to pull out titles that look interesting when I am going through new books or while helping a patron in the stacks or while weeding.  I haven't been doing most of those activities lately, so it's as if I've forgotten how to find books that I want to read.  If I don't read Booklist or Publisher's Weekly, how do I know?  So I feel that I haven't read much this past month, but I did find some. And I've been at my new job for a whole week, and I'm looking forward to starting ordering and all those various lovely duties.

The Rhino with Glue-On Shoes (and Other Surprising True Stories of Zoo Vets and Their Patients), edited by Lucy H. Spelman and Ted Y. Mashima. 636.089.  I was looking for something else, books on tree identification and pruning, I think, and this caught my eye nearby.  Now, nothing about this is a typical-me book: nonfiction, animals, compilation.  Totally not my usual thing.  But I really enjoyed this.  First, it was really well written.  Although there were many different authors, the editor did a good job of helping their writing styles converge, or maybe just arranging them in a way that was not jarring or abrasive.  Second, it seems like all of these contributors are tops in their fields, so they have some really unique stories.  Definitely a good book.

Go the [explitive] to Sleep, by Adam Mansbach; illustrated by Ricardo Cortes.    I saw this one all over the place in the professional literature; I'm sure everyone knows about this book, except rock-dwellers.  I had no intention of going out of my way for this, certainly.  But (before I started work), I was visiting the library with my son, and this was on display in the Parent Center, so I checked it out.  There must have been big (anticipated) demand, because when I went back the next day, the audiobook was on display in the space I had vacated.  I can't imagine how this would work in audio format.  Isn't the point of a picture book the fact that the illustrations tell nearly/at least half the story?  You can't audio-ize that.

Anyway, I thought this was a funny book (but you won't think it's funny if you don't like/can't ignore the language).  I've certainly felt the way the author seems to feel.  My criticism comes from the fact that I thought the book could have been better written.  Yes, the author conceived of the idea of the book as a joke.  But you can write a joke book, and silly or un-serious book, and still do a good job in the writing.  It felt to me like the rhymes were too easy or predictable, like there wasn't a lot of finesse or sophistication in the poetry.  Which is fine, this isn't meant to be a great work of literature obviously.  And the illustrations are very nice.

Terry Pratchett: The Wit and Wisdom of Discworld, compiled by Stephen Briggs.  Note to me: I saw the audio of Going Postal back in Tech.  Place on hold!  Squeee! 
Ahem.
This was kind of odd to me.  I have a little notebook where I write down the quotes that I think are really noteworthy, that I definitely want to have and be able to reference.  I usually have at least one, sometimes several, from each of Pratchett's novels.  And that's pretty much what this compiler did: took his favorite/funniest/deepest parts from each of the Discworld novels, and put them in the book.  Almost every single one, I couldn't even remember.  They definitely weren't the parts of the books that spoke to me or were memorable to me.  He didn't include the one about a lie running around the world before the truth can get its boots on (from... well, curses.  I can't find my little book.  There is a huge amount of stuff that, after a month, I still can't find.  It's not like it's in a box.  All the boxes are unpacked.  But if my husband unpacked it... I'll probably never see it again.  He probably put it somewhere totally insane.  Not on the shelves, not in the desk, not in a car, not in a tree, not on a train, Sam, let me be!  There are sooooo many things that I haven't seen since we left Indiana.  There must be here, somewhere: the Indiana apartment was empty, the moving truck was locked all the way cross-country, the moving truck was emptied into the house, so it must be here, but ¯\(°_0)/¯.  I dunno.  And anyway).
Yeah, weird compilation, not the bits I would have chosen, as I said, but gotta have it on hand for the fans.

Courting Emma Howe, by Margaret A. Robinson.  I weeded this one from LPCPL because of it's terrible circ, but stuck in my locker and read it little by little for the first few chapters.  Then I finished more than half of it in one go over the weekend.  I really like it, the story and the style.  I felt a little cheated because it seemed like we were just getting to really know the characters, they were experiencing some growth, and then all of a sudden it was over.  The book could easily have been twice as long.  And it isn't that there was too much set up or intro; the beginning was very good.

The Long (and Short) of It: The Madcap History of the Skirt, by Ali Basye.  This definitely isn't a complete history; it's a pretty little book (like, it's dimensions are small, only like 4x6).  The style is also a little flippant, not quite plain silly but punny and light.  That said, it is pretty informative (and in a fun way!) and I have no reason to believe the information is inaccurate. 

Whiskey Sour, by J.A. Konrath.  I picked this up as an ARC oh so many moons ago that I don't even remember where.  It is a good mystery.  I might even venture to say very good.  But still, mysteries are not my thing and this wasn't my character.  I guess the author is playing to the stereotypical mystery reader in her choice of main character (most of the mysteries I can remember reading from the last year or two featured slightly older to very older female leads); the main character felt realistic enough but the supporting roles were very shallow and most were pretty stereotypical (the fat cop; the greasy PI).  This starts a series that was pretty popular at my last library; I don't know yet how it is doing here. 

(Fearless) Kill Game, by Francine Pascal.  This is a continuing series (based on earlier series).  Although the main character is supposed to be the same, she feels very different to me.  Maybe I am not remembering correctly, but even the writing style seems different. 
The main character is supposed to be 20, 21-ish, but feels 17 if that.  She lacks the maturity of post-college, especially considering she should have had dozens of books in which to have much-needed character development.
This reminded me alot of the CHERUB (Muchamore) series, but I liked those better.

Wild: Stories of Survival form the World's Most Dangerous Places; edited by Clint Willis.  Now this seems like something I should totally love, right?  This is totally my thing.  But I'm so not into it.  The intro was crap; it seemed really random, the paragraphs didn't fit together; it was just all over the place.  I was trying to get in to the first story, but the author wasted so much time on set up.  He called this poet he knew to see if he wanted to go a trip to the Amazon, and here was there conversation; repeat 6 times until he can find someone who wants to go on the trip with him.  By 10 pages in to a short story, we really need to already be in the Amazon, not some bar discussing whether or not we should be going at all. 

Boxes unpacked!

Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain, by David Eagleman.  153 Ea.  Hurrah, one more for the great nonfiction survey!  This was an interesting book (Dad, this is the one I was telling you about in the car). 

We are established in Pullman, but between full-time parenting, still-trying-to-organize-the-house, and getting-ready-for-Christmas, I don't have much time to read.  We won't have internet at the house until the end of the week, anyway.  But we are not dead.

all the boxes!

Book: Fire bird

Author: R. Garcia y Robertson

For my classes: No

Comment: The story was interesting, if largely unidentifiable with the original fairy tale.  I would say this book was on par with the author's other work.  It was ok in nearly all respects, though not spectacular in any.  The romance was pretty good, except for the" romance" (e.g. sex), which was gratuitous and poorly written.


Book: Fire bird
Author: Mercedes Lackey
For my classes: No
Comment: I think I'm getting a handle on this author's writing style.  She has a lower form of writing which, combined with her fantasy/fairy tale subjects would lead one to believe they are written for a younger audience.  She emphasizes her choice of audience by including sexual references that, actually, take away from the story.  They change it from a well-planned, innocent fairy tale to a piece of fantasy with a pathetically low reading level and unneeded, dirty comments.

Book: The Fire Rose
Author: Mercedes Lackey
For my classes: Maybe
Comment: This is the third book by her concerning (rewriting) fairy tales that I've read.  In that way, they are really cool  I think it's a good idea, especially since the connections aren't blatantly obvious.
What I don't like is that, about half way through the book, her characters undergo personality changes.  It's like she goes, "Ok, they have to fall in love and she has to have something to hold against him, so let's make her smitten and him, manly and boorish."  These same things could have happened more realistically with a little more work.

Book: The First Man in Rome
Author: Colleen McCullough
For my classes: No
Comment: Unlike most personal stories, which end with the death of the main character, this left him alive and well, and thus was much less depressing.
There were a small number of things I disliked; I will list three. First, she had a problem with fragments.  Secondly, she overused "and" in lists constantly (one, and two, and three, and four).  Lastly, she started off and later included, in great detail, the lives of others who are only remotely connected to the main character.  I suppose she did this to present a fuller picture of Roman life, in all aspects. She did accomplish this.  However, much of it was not truly relevant to the story. 

Book: Flash Forward
Author: Robert J Sawyer
For my classes: Maybe
Comment: This book questions free will, fate, and the malleability of the future.  Is foreknowledge such a great thing?  This would be a good topic (and book) for high school classes.  Luther viewpoint (that God knows what will happen and uses it for our good) adds another dimension.

Book: Flight of the Dragon Kyn
Author: Susan Fletcher
For my classes: No
Comment:I read this book out of order, but it didn't effect the story at all.  This author used alot of fragments, which always bothers me, but they weren't quite as distasteful as some others make them.
Somewhere about half way through the book, it just picked me up; I couldn't put it down, but made it an all-nighter just so I could finish it.  It's a book for younger readers, but still very good.
(I have no memory of this book.)

Book: Forever
Author: Judy Blume
For my classes: No
Comment: I can understand why this book is banned, but I was very pleased with it.  I thought it was a very realistic presentation of emotion and relationship progression.  I appreciated how the author argued for neither side (abstinence or experimentation), but used adult characters in cautionary roles ("You can never go back to just holding hands").

Book: Foreigner
Author: Robert J. Sawyer
For my classes: No
Comment: What I often dislike about sci-fi writers is that they think they need to spell everything out.  Humanity is the same, wherever and whenever you go.  We readers are pretty bright.
What I specifically dislike about this author is that he develops bad habits-- a new one for each book or series he writes.  he has some really annoying tendencies.
And although all his stories tend to be similar, they are different enough so that I read the next one anyway.

Book: The Fort at River's Bend
Author: Jack Whyte
For my classes: No
Comment: During this book and the previous one, something was bothering me that I could not identify.  Now I know what it is.  In the first three books, the men were great.  They led their men to battle, led their people at home, were incredible thinkers and planners, always one step ahead.  They were great men.  In his last two books, Merlyn has been falling apart and his men are being overshadowed by their wives.  He does not form conclusions, constantly changes his mind, and has to have things pointed out and explained to him every step of the way.  He is a sorry leader in deed.
Young Arthur, on the other hand, holds promise.

Book: Fossil Hunter
Author: Robert J. Sawyer
For my classes: Nope
Comment: I feel like the writers of Go Fug Yourself.  no matter how many times they give the same advice or criticism, does anyone listen?
That's just like me.  See Far-Seer for my feelings on this series.

Book: The Furies
Author: Suzy McKee Charnas
For my classes: No
Comment: Similar to the fourth book, this one picks up with a character it abandoned in the first book, 15 years ago.  I didn't like how that was handled wither.
The story is rather gory in places, and rather graphic a good deal as well.  For those reasons, partially, I didn't enjoy it, and partly because it was entirely plot driven.  The first and maybe the second books made statements.  This was more a reiteration.  I only read it because it's a compulsion.  I won't be reading it again.
(I've forgotten not only this book, but this entire series.)

Book: The Game
Author: Laurie R. King
For my classes: No
Comment: This book was one of the more exciting of the series, with a very gripping plot. 

Book: Gathering Blue
Author: Lois Lowry
For my classes: Yes
Comment: This book, like The Giver, presented a futuristic distopian society.  The story was good, not really amazing, but not at all boring.  In the final chapter, there are incredible revelations, and I'm dying to know what happens; unfortunately, there is no next book.  Sequels are for unimaginative writers and readers.
Like her other books, this was marvelously written.  Her characters are believable and lovable.  Lois Lowry has to be one of my top favorite writers.

Book: George Washington Gomez
Author: Americo Paredes
For my classes: Probably
Comment: I was assigned this book for a class, but I enjoyed it.  It presents the life of the MexicoTexan in a  historically accurate way, without the stereotypes I had about book like this.  It says, "We had it rough, we were oppressed" without crying, whining, and pointing fingers.
I could not always understand everything, because there was some Spanish in there, but what I did understand, I thoroughly enjoyed-- He is a good writer.  The story wasn't very alive, it didn't make me really feel, but the language was good. 

Book: Girl with a Pearl Earring
Author: Tracy Chevalier
For my classes: Yes (?)
Comment: For reasons not entirely clear even to me, I absolutely adored this book.  The reading level was fairly low, even for the target age group (approx. 14-17).  The writing was spectacular-- clear and descriptive, a nice variety of sentence lengths and styles, with no errors or questionable areas.
The story and characters were also emotionally evoking and drew the reader in.  The plot was logical and told a historical-fictional, yet plausible, explanation of an early Renaissance painting.  I don't know how much of it is true, but it was all plausible.

Book: The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry
For my classes: A must
Comment: Rather than being one of the most frequently banned books in America, I think this should be on every teacher's must-read list.
To begin, the language was very powerful.  It shows a distopian society in which only one, now two, recognize a problem.  Euthanasia and infanticide are weekly if not daily occurrences.  It is a world of no pain, in exchange for a world without freedoms, choice, color, love, pleasure, and the wisdom and learning that come from pain.  It is a society without history.

Book: Going Postal
Author: Terry Pratchett
For my classes: No
Comment: More for entertainment value than anything else, as anticipated.  It was a fun story that gave one the opportunity to reflect on the nature of government jobs and employees, killing people by bits and pieces, and the power of the written word, among other things.  Always fun.

Book: The Golden Compass
Author: Phillip Pullman
For my classes: A Possibility
Comment: It was very simple in terms of plot and language.  The only difficult thing was that it didn't explain things right at the beginning-- it felt like you were supposed to know this based on an earlier (nonexistent) book.  But things became more clear as the story went on.
It brings up questions of the soul, among other personal identification and self expression thoughts.  It hides a philosophical side.  A good read.  Now where's that sequel.

Book: Golden Fleece
Author: Robert J. Sawyer
For my classes: No
Comment: At its core, the story was very good.  It was not, however, developed to its full potential: the plot did not work itself out as it should have.  Information relevant tot he ultimate conclusion was lacking-- from that provided, the reader could not deduce the edning.
Also, the subplot, whcih olds promise as another source of conflict, is not resolved.  Its purpose, I believe, is to cast doubt on the "happy" ending, but it does not come across that way.
The reasoning behind many of the steps taken are not made clear.  And, in the vein of the first paragraph, many elements needed for the reader to see the climax were missing.  This forced the author to spell the whole thing out.  It was not a surprise or a twist, because there was no firm expectation from which to deviate.

Book: The Golden Isle
Author: Frank Slaughter
For my classes: No
Comment: I would not recommend this book.  The story was unsuspenseful and required no deep thought.  I did not enjoy most of the characters.  For the time it was written, I was very surprised at the content of the book.  For that reason, I would not encourage my high schoolers to read it.  I thought the main character, while likable, was stupid and his decisions angered me.  I thought the ending was kind of lame, too.

7 boxes packed.

Starting out with a regular review:
Snuff, by Terry Pratchett.  Some events from an earlier novel played an important part in this, and I didn't remember them as well as I would have liked, but I was able to swim along ok.  Excellent, as always.

Book: The Emperor's Babe

Author: Bernadine Evaristo

For my classes: Perhaps

Comment: The writing style of this book was interesting; it reminded me, in that way at least, of Witness by Hesse.  It would be interesting to pay more attention to the "verses"-- do they exhibit any uniformity of rhythm, are the line breaks obviously significant, etc.
The plot was less than spectacular, although one gets the feeling that it wasn't exactly the point.
I did not like how often times things were left fuzzy, rather vague.  The quickness of the story glossed over details.  Nor was I satisfied with the ending.
(I have no memory of this book.)

Book: End of an Era

Author: Robert J. Sawyer

For my classes: Maybe

Comment: I would not say this was one of his best works, although it was interesting.  He asserts, again, however, or at least demonstrates, that he only knows about 3 things: Toronto, archeology, and what I'm going to call strange sciences: time travel, alternate realities, and aliens, all of which were actually included in this plot.
There was an interesting suggestion though, concerning our origins: science has been unable to recreate the Big Bang.  The "theory" is that someone from far int he future traveled back to the beginning of the universe and got it all started.  "Created us in our own image."

Book: Enterprise: The First Novel
Author: Vonda N. McIntyre
For my classes: No
Comment: Although this book had most of the faults of all the other Star Trek books, its main flaw was that the characters presented in the book are markedly different from the selves they will become.  I could not resolve those discrepancies.  I rather disliked it.
(I have absolutely no memory of this book.)

Book: Equal Rites
Author: Terry Pratchett
For my classes: No
Comment: The presentation of Granny Weatherwax in this book makes me think it's one of her first: all her pieces are there, but they haven't yet become the Her they later are.
Sometime I'm going to go through and read all these Discworld books in order (at least chronologically, according to publication) and see if they fit together better.

Book: Eragon
Author: Christopher Paolini
For my classes: Maybe
Comment: I actually rather liked this book.  A co-worker at the writing center told me he thought it was crap-- that's because, in my opinion, he was reading it as an adult, instead of reading it how a child would read it.  The plot was good-- there was good character development.  The author did go a bit overboard with the cliches and the fancy/fanciful vocabulary and wording.  It was kind of stereotypical in that respect.

Book: The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events)
Author: Lemony Snicket
For my classes: I hope I can
Comment: I really love this series and I think kids will like them as well, all though the intended audience is very young.  I haven't got a bad thing to say about them, except perhaps that they do rely heavily on each other and can't be read independently.  Things like character development and plot progression are minimal, but appropriate for the intended audience.

Book: Exile
Author: R.A. Salvatore
For my classes: No
Comment: It's getting hard to come up with new things to say about this guy.  He's still in love with his one-sentence-foreshadowing-paragraph-thing, which I suppose I'll just have to accept as part of his writing style.
This one also had alot of attention to emotion, but it felt more natural, not nearly as forced as it was in The Halfling's Gem, although it could still stand to be better.
The story is still good.  Since I keep looking forward to the next one, they can't be all that bad, eh?

Book: Exiles at the Well of Souls
Author: Jack L. Chalker
For my classes: No
Comment: This book is setup, setup, and more setup.  In addition to all the faults held over from the first book, the author has an annoying habit of describing new people by recipe, beginning paragraphs with "take a..." or "start with..." or "imagine..."  Incredibly annoying.  But, of course, I will read them all.

Book: The Eyre Affair
Author:Jasper Fforde
For my classes: yes
Comment: I guess this would be a novel of alternate history.  however, unlike other such novels I've read so far, this uses the altered history merely as a background instead of the main plot.
It was well written in all the general ways.  My one concern is that it relied on grammar and literature (especially) knowledge to a degree.  Although important things are explained to a degree, readers would probably get more out of the reading if they were familiar with the subject (Bronte, Poe, Dickens, apostrophes, etc.).  With something approximating decent knowledge, many jokes are actually pretty funny.  Jane Eyre is a prerequisite.

Book: Factoring Humanity
Author: Robert J. Sawyer
For my classes: No
Comment: This book brings to the fore the concept that "no man is an island." There were many other topics presented that are interesting to think about-- the advent of Artificial Intelligence, scientific ideas such as other dimensions, and psychological concerns such as false memories.
The story was hardly gripping, but now that it's done, it starts many trains of thought, not the least of which was the warning about true AI, when compared to Golden's Star Trek books, in which Holograms fight for their rights.  One of the alien messages warned about AI (in this book)-- by their nature smarter and stronger than us, they would soon do away with humanity, having no need for life forms. 

Book: The Fairy Godmother
Author: Mercedes Lackey
For my classes: No
Comment: I have mixed feelings about this book.  I liked the main character and the story premise right off the bat, although the writing style seemed a bit juvenile.  Later in the book, the author brought in sexual elements that I felt were inappropriate to the story and the writing level, as well as to what I have gathered from other readings to be the author's overall style or personality.

Book: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Author: Newt Scamander (J.K. Rowling)
For my classes: unfortunately no
Comment: as Dumbledore says in his preface, a must-have for every home. A well-spring of information, this "text book" shed light no just on the Harry Potter books, but other fantasy books as well. Funny and informative.  Needs to be longer.

Book: Far-Seer
Author: Robert J. Sawyer
For my classes: No
Comment: I have said before that I need to not read so many books by the same author-- the fact that they all run together is due less to my poor memory and more to the author's lack of imagination.  "Shakespeare-- why did you write nine comedies when you could have written just one?"

Book: The Farther Shore
Author: Christie Golden
For my classes: No
Comment: Please see my entry on Homecoming, the first of this uninspiring duo.  I have nothing to add-- at least this author is consistent.
(I do not remember this book at all.)

Book: The Feast of Roses
Author: Indu Sundaresan
For my classes: Hmm.  A consideration.
Comment: this book reminded me alot of Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck.  The bad thing about these kinds of books, that follow the life of one person, end with their death, and that's kind of a down note, no matter what spin you try to put on it.
The book was rich in culture, but paid poor attention to the passing of time, giving very vague terms, like "many years" or "a great while."  In the first book, it at least gave the ages of the characters, since that is more helpful than throwing out "1606."
I think I liked the first book better, but this was still enjoyable, as well as informative.

Book: Feet of Clay
Author: Terry Pratchett
For my classes: No
Comment: I can't say that, academically, this book had many redeeming qualities.  Of course, I liked it, and enjoyed it, but other than as an example of style or social satire, I'm running out of things to say about this author.

Book: The Fellowship of the Ring
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
For my classes: Yes
Comment: I guess it just took The Hobbit for me to get used to this writing style, as I am enjoying it very much.  He's wonderful with descriptions-- he just paints a picture for you.  His lack of commas still troubles me a bit, though.
I had a bit of confusion, for the book is a bit different from the movie and I can't seem to keep them straight.
The only thing I disliked about this story is how Sam remains in a low position.  He's such a wonderful character, but always goes around, following his "master" like a puppy, and it bothers me, because he is better than that.  But I suppose it can't be helped.

Book: Fiery Cross
Author: Diana Gabaldon
For my classes: No
Comment: In all her other books, the author was painstakingly careful about tying all the people into the story, leaving no loose ends.  At the end of this book, however, I feel that much has been left dangling.  There is no mention of a fifth sequel.  I find this out of the author's normal demonstrated character, and it bothers me.

Book: Fifth Elephant
Author: Terry Pratchett
For my classes: No
Comment: I'm really starting to come around to the Ankh-Morpork characters (Vimes, Colon, Nobby Nobbs, Cheery, etc.)
This was a good story; by that, I mean that it was fun to read, but that's all I got out of it.
There were a few typos and copy errors.  Usually, he doesn't have any of those, but a few pop up every once in a while.
I enjoyed it, but I can't recommend it.

Book: The Final Solution: A Story of Detection
Author: Michael Chabon
For my classes: No
Comment: Although it only ever call him "the old man," this book about Holmes' declining years is really rather sad.  He has no Russell, no Watson, no Housekeeper, and he's loosing himself-- it seems his is beginning to have some kind of dementia.  It's the only thing of which I have seen a Holmes character be truly terrified. It takes away some of the heroic from everything that went before.

Book: The Fire Within
Author: Chris D'Lacey
For my classes: No
Comment: Oh, what a horrible book.  I can't imagine why I even finished it.  Even for a children's book, it seemed very poorly thought out.  The characters were annoying and inappropriate to their own ages. The writing style was boring-- sentence structure didn't vary enough.  Lastly, the author used adjectives inappropriately.  He threw in alot of "suddenly"s as well, for no reason I could see and often for something that can only happen suddenly.

i've run out of boxes

and my 4-year-old is asleep.

Book: Deja Dead
Author: Kathy Reichs
For my classes: No
Comment:The writing was very good, in spite of negative elements.  I disliked the author's (over)use of fragments.  Also, it seemed like there were some leads the author didn't explore to their full potential, so those details ended up feeling useless and unplanned.  Overall, there was alot of violence and blood, but it was as well done as possible.
(I don't remember reading this.)

Book: The Devil Wears Prada
Author: Lauren Weisberger
For my classes: No(?)
Comment: I can't say I really liked [it].  First, you rather could guess from pretty early on how it was going to play out.  Second, and I guess this is really a good thing, the author conveyed all the emotions so well that I was tense and edgy all the during my reading-- not from the crappiness of the book, as has happened before, but because of the character.  I empathize.

Book: Diary of a Fairy Godmother
Author: Esme Raji Codell
For my classes: No
Comment: Although for very young readers (9 maybe?), this book was a fun read with its own little moral.  Readers will enjoy the plays on words, though.  The main character is certainly realistic and one readers will be able to relate to.
(I don't remember reading this.)

Book: Digital Fortress
Author: Dan Brown
For my classes: No.
Comment: Although a well-written book, especially by modern standards, this book is plot-driven.  That is not to say that it is not masterfully suspenseful or an ingenious example of the mystery genre.  I have and will recommned it for personal enjoyment reading.
I did not enjoy this one quite as much as I did the other two, I think mostly because of the subject matter-- computer programs don't interest me as much as the subjects of the other two books.  But it is still very good.  Without wax.

Book: Dime Store Magic
Author: Kelley Armstrong
For my classes: No
Comment: I enjoyed this book  Although the first of a series, it implies a back story of substantial size but then gives enough detail not to leave you lost.  Its take on the magical "races" is unexpected, which makes this book stand out, even though most of its other elements are not exactly exemplary.  They are good, yes, but not amazing.

Book: Divine Victims
Author: Mary Wings
For my classes: I'd consider it
Comment: My initial impression is that this is not the best book.  I say that because, although the plot is decent, the way in which the author conveyed it was not.  It disctinctly felt like important connecting bits were rushed through and not delved into deep enough.  Several events were a surprise, not because they had been hidden within the story, but because they just cropped up, almost unreasonably.  Things were not tied together enough.
(I don't remember reading this at all.)

Book: Doctor's Orders
Author: Diane Duane
For my classes: No
Comment: These Star Trek books are fairly good about keeping true to the characters.  They rely too heavily through, I think, on a reader who has seen every episode and read all the previous books.  The story is clear enough when one has only a general knowledge, but one misses a fair amount of detail, it seems.
(I don't remember this at all.)

Book: Dragonfly in Amber
Author: Diana Gabaldon
For my classes: No
Comment:This book was not so different from the first and third (which I am currently knee-deep in).  What I greatly disliked, however, was that it jumped ahead 20 years, and then, several chapters later, began the flashback.  As as such, was mainly told from the first person, of which I am not overfond.  This series has also portrayed almost every English army officer as a sadistic flaming pervert; I rather doubt it is true, at least to this extreme.  With that exception, as well as some specific individuals, the historical content in general seems to be fairly accurate, if not too trustworthy as to the details.

Book: Dragon's Milk
Author: Susan Fletcher
For my classes: No
Comment: For once, I read the series out of order.  As it so happens, however, I read them in chronological order based on content.  that was a fluke, but still.  It was a pretty good story.  The author still doesn't really believe in complete sentences, however.
(I have no memory of this book whatsoever.)

Book: Dragonwings
Author: Laurence Yep
For my classes: Yep.
Comment: For younger readers, I think.  Issues of race, family, and the supernatural/spiritual beliefs, but nothing too deep, which might keep high school minds thinking critically.
I loved the language and the imagery.  I would recommend.

Book: Drums of Autumn
Author: Diana Gabaldon
For my classes: No
Comment: The bad thing with reading a series is that all the books run together in one's mind; the story coaleses and the distiction made by a cover and a few interceding pages fades coompletely.
I have nothing noteworthy about this book.  Everything has already been said.

Book: The Eagle's Brood
Author: Jack Whyte
For my classes: No
Comment: This has to be the most frustrating book I've ever read, simply because it contradicts legend.  The conception of Arthur, by the mystical aid of Merlin, is completely left out.  In fact, Merlin only begins to really understand his calling as sorcerer in the last few pages of the book.  In addition, the book palced the characters in situations and gave them attributes, characteristics, and personalities that have not been previously credited to them through legend.  Furthermore, while the county is falling rapidly into disrepair, there is no evidence of the society, the castles and hall of Arthur's time-- only 15 years distant.
However, the author is taking giant steps in the way of emotional writing.  The story is less of actions and battles, although they are still present.  My emotional response was profoundly increased from my response to The Singing Sword.

Book: Echoes of the Well of Souls
Author: Jack L. Chalker
For my classes: No
Comment: Ah, if only the story would just hurry up and end already.
What really frustrated me in this book was that every time Brazil shows up, he's something different.  Consider:
1.  First sentient being, creator fo the cosmos.
2.  Mere man, once mortal, now torch bearer and liar, especially about that story about being god.
3. Something called "the Watcher," except that he doesn't know about it, and does not seem compatible with is last story.
Who the crap writes like that? Figure out what is going on and stay with it, moron.  Also, I've decided that this guy must have the smallest [expletive] ever, since all his characters are so overly blessed.

Book: Educating Esme
Author: Esme Raji Codell
For my classes: Undecided
Comment: The diary of a first year teacher.  While it is not high-level writing, it's very deep.  It makes you think about things like race, class, how children can make it to the 5th grade without being able to read... bureaucracy, the love of children, of learning, of reading... what this life will mean.  She used her own money to buy so many things.  She admits, her personal relationships suffered.  It's not just a job or a career.  It's a way of life.  Can I live this way?

Book: The Elder Gods
Author: David and Leigh Eddings
For my classes: No
Comment: This book is the first of a series, which I will not pursue, uncharacteristically.  The writing was not all that great and neither was the story.  Definitely not he kind of thing to keep you on the edge of your seat, it was rather predictable and altogether not very exciting.
(I have no memory of this book.)

Book: Eldest
Author: Christopher Paolini
For my classes: only as an example of what not to do.
Comment: The problem with this book is two-fold: One: it's a sequel, and Two: this author is either catering to an audience of science-fiction fans, or he's read far too much crappy sci-fi himself, or more likely both.  Sequels tend to be problematic in nature.  In this one, the plot mostly followed, but its major drawback was my second point.  It's so full of the flowery fake language used by crappy sci-fi novelists (and romance writers) that it seriously took away from the story.  The first book struck a good balance.  This one was so far over the edge that it was halfway up the other side.

Book: The Elvenbane
Author: Andre Norton and Mercedes Lackey
For my classes: No
Comment: I really enjoyed this book, despite the fact that I was ready to strangle the authors over their insistance on using fragments, ending sentenses with prepositions, and leaving out commas.
The plot and characters, though, were excellent, and, for once, I'm upset at the lack of a sequel.  Scratch that-- a closer examination reveals there are sequels.  Good job to me.
But yeah, great, plausible, believable, understandable, enjoyable, if annoying.

dinosaurs

As I go through these, it's fun for me to guess at time lines based largely on my handwriting.  My handwriting (as opposed to writing and composition skills) is something that I worked very, very hard on in college and for the few years after.  Now I get complimented on it: a far cry from my teachers humiliating me in class.  I guess they never heard of dysgraphia.  

I also don't think I ever intended anyone to ever read these.

Book: The Coffee Trader
Author: David Liss
For my classes: No
Comment: Almost exclusively another plot-driven book.  Fortunately, the plot was pretty good.  It was certainly not the most educational piece of historical fiction I've read, but it managed not to be a complete loss, and I've no reason to believe it was historically inaccurate.  I seem to remember being annoyed by fragments, but have no other complaints.  I generally enjoyed it.
(I do not remember this book at all.)

Book: Colonization: Aftershocks
Author: Harry Turtledove
For my classes: depends
Comment:The bad thing with series is that there is little to say about the latter books.  I felt with this one that things were left too open.  There needs to be more.


Book: Colonization: Down to Earth
Author: Harry Turtledove
For my classes: a possibility
Comment: Once you figure out who all the characters are (mostly what the 1st book was for), the story becomes quite intriguing, although I still think there are too many characters to properly keep all of them in mind.

Book: Colonization: Second Contact
Author: Harry Turtledove
For my classes: No
Comment:  It makes me feel stupid, but I can't figure out if this is the 1st or 2nd book in a series.  I fthe 1st, there is not enough background-- the reader is confused until at least half way through.  If the 2nd, that's ok except that it relies very heavily on the 1st, although many series do that.
The plot was fine, the characters were fine: not spectacular but acceptable.
The aliens, however, were borrowed almost entirely from other reptilian-alien books.  I felt like they were lifted almost perfectly from Sawyer's Quintaglio Trio.  Which was written first?

Book: Come Back to Me
Author: Josie Litton
For my classes: No
Comment: Although I would have to classify it as smut, I would also have to say that it was very good.  An historical fiction romance, this book was heavy on plot and light on indecensies.  Although I gather it is the last in a set, it was still good on its own, able to stand up by itself without its predecessors.  I enjoyed it and will be looking for the author's other books.
The only things I disliked were that the title seemed totally unconnected and that the author tried to use, or at least mix in, older idioms that she doesn't have the most perfect handle on.  And there's a preposition.
(I do not remember this book at all.)

Book: Confessions of a Deathmaiden
Author: Ruth Francisco
For my classes: Probably not
Comment: I enjoyed this book very much.  I don't know how much of the informaiton is true, but it all seems plausible, and that's the important bit.
The plot was very thick, a real challenge at times, but never muddied by the author.  The characters were likable and real.
Although the main character,a  female, was excellently done, other aspects of the writing made me feel the author was a man.  I found that interesting.
(I do not remember this book at all.)

Book: Confessions of a Pagan Nun
Author: Gwynneve of Tarbfhlaith; translator: Kate Horsley
For my classes: if I can get away with it
Comment: First, I am [I can't read what I wrote.  looks like... encaged?] at the translator: on the back and inside front cover are the typical quotes, but they claim the book to be Horsley's, while she, in a foreword, gives a Translator's Note.  I will do more research, but I believe she is giving herself too much credit. 
However, the book was brilliant, written by a woman watching her world change around her.  She came from a time when women were powerful within their homes and communities, and was killed for being a witch, when all she really was, was proud stubborn, and knowledgeable.
She brought up so many questions about religion, as she moved from druid to nun, that are still relevant.
"I would live in a world full of Christ-like humans, but not one full of Christians, may God forgive me." --pg. 164.

Book: The Confessions of Mycroft Holmes
Author: Marcel Theroux
For my classes: Possible
Comment:  I was expecting more from this book, although I don't exactly know why.  This midlifer's voyage of self-discovery had a nice writing style and I enjoyed the author and the story, which had a mystery feel.  The conclusion was both anticipated and a surprise-- I felt it coming because of obscure references made by the author, but how the character found out I have no idea: that part was not illustrated.

Book: Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
Author: Gregory Maguire
For my classes: No
Comment:I enjoy books loosely based on fairy tales.  This story, though, wasn't as good as many.  It seemed like it took the author several chapters to find his stride, pin down his writing style.
Also, it wasn't challenging in any way.  Based on the writing, I would say the audience would be much younger than what some of the content requires.

Book: The Conqueror's Child
Author: Suzy McKee Charnas
For my classes: No
Comment: Plot driven and graphic like the others [in the series], it has the potential to raise social questions, but, due to its quick-read-ableness, those questions don't have a real chance to be grasped by the reader, and they certainly aren't dwelt on by the author.  It's not worth the time.

Book: A Creed for the Third Millennium
Author: Colleen McCullough
For my classes: Perhaps
Comment:Written in 1985 about 2035 (approx.), this distopia/futuristic novel had some interesting points and ideas.  It isn't realistic for 30 years from now, but maybe further down the road.
The story was pretty good, but I didn't really like the ending: I thought it was out of character.

Book: The Crimson Petal and the White
Author: Michael Faber
For my classes: No
Comment:  It struck me as a demented Jane Eyre in a way.  It was rather sexually explicit, but not overly graphic-- just personal, and honest.  I didn't care for the ending and, although I did not like how one of the characters progressed in the last few chapters, it was a plausible and possible character evolution.
I very strongly disliked how the author introduced the book and how he often addressed the reader.  It bothered me to o end.  I don't know if I would go so far as to call this book good, but it was interesting-- intriguing, even.

Book: Crispin: The Cross of Lead
Author: Avi
For my classes: Most definitely (up to age 13)
Comment: I was amazed by this book, the 2003 Newbery award winner.  The language was incredible; I would think it had been written for a higher age group.  I twas just so incredible.

Book: The Crystal Shard
Author: R. A. Salvatore
For my classes: No
Comment: I had a hard time getting into the book at first because it was so similar to the Lord of the Rings, which was the only real fantasy type book I've read till now.  It has humans and elves and dwarves and hobbits (aka halflings).  At the end, the four of them all go off on a trip, so the next book might be interesting. 
The writing style was good; easy to follow but not overly simplistic.  There were several battle scenes, but they weren't too bloody.  The story was good, too, suspenseful enough.  The ending was great-- funny, offering both closure and the option for sequels.

Book: Dark Lord of Derkholm
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
For my classes: No
Comment: I like this author's writing style.  It's not really timeless, but it's not dated either.  Her plots are good, but she doesn't give enough back story: the reader feels a little lost.

Book: Dead as a Doornail
Author: Charlaine Harris
For my classes: No.
Comment: I'm getting annoyed with the way the story is going, but that's not a big problem.  I'm also annoyed with the writer's low opinion of me and my memory.  I want to see where the story goes, though, so I'll read the next one.

Book: Dead to the World
Author: Charlaine Harris
For my classes: No
Comment: It becomes apparent that the author has a low opinion of her readers-- she does not expect the reader to remember what happened in previous chapters, much less previous books.
I'm slightly frustrated with the character interaction between the main two.  But that's just a personal opinion: I have no real basis in writing technique for that.

Book: Dead Until Dark
Author: Charlaine Harris
For my classes: No
Comment: I'm really loving this series.  I think the big draw is that the main character is so regular, but everything else is so fantastic.  There is alot of sex, but it's not overly specific, so it's not bad.  I even love the writing style. 

Book: Deadly Cure
Author: William Cutrer and Sandra Glahn
For my classes: No
Comment: A sequel to Lethal Harvest, this book was exquisitely similar in all the conventions and nuances of writing.  The story was based and relied some on the previous book, so it could not be read alone, although the first book is not dependent on this one to finish the story.

Book: Dealing with Dragons
Author: Patricia C. Wrede
For my classes: No
Comment: I really like this book.  Mostly that's due tot he fact that it's juvenile lit.  Juvenile books are great in so many ways.  The stories have to be interesting, never letting up.  They can't be all wordy; the words have to be powerful, each one for itself.  The plot is easy, yet not too predictable, because that would inspire boredom.  And happy endings are the only kind allowed.  It's great.
Everyone should read this book.

Book: The Death Committee
Author: Noah Gordon
For my classes: No
Comment:With this book, Gordon pulls away from the historical fiction he had been writing with The Physician, Shaman, and The Last Jew.  Eventually, it comes out that the book is set in the 1960s, although only twice does it mention a year, and one is while giving a personal history of one of the characters (born in 1901). There are references to hippies and to carious equal rights movements that give the reader a general sense of time, but, ignoring those, the book could be a picture of the present day.
I thought it was good.  Gordon is making his 2 subject stretch for him.

Book: Deception Point
Author: Dan Brown
For my classes: Probably not
Comment: This guy is absolutely amazing.  The amount of information alone is staggering, and then he adds plot, great characters, and believability.  When I grow up, I want to be just like him... He's just so good. I can't get over it, each time I read one of his books, I'm still surprised. 
And it's not just plot driven.  That may be the best part.

Book: Definitely Dead
Author: Charlaine Harris
For my classes: No
Comment: Although overall I like the book and the series, there are some specifics I disliked.  As often happens later in a series, someone has gotten lazy-- there were several typos.  Second, sexual and sensual encounters have become more graphic, unnecessarily so.  Finally, part of the story is based on a short story, which is not included at the end of the last book or the beginning of this one.  Although all the necessary details are given, I feel like I'm missing something.  It seems inconsiderate on the part of the writer to not give that part of the story, or maybe it's pride or egotism, to think that readers are so fixated as to check her website for such information and then buy the extra book.  The library, of course, doesn't have it.

more archeology

I am having fun digging through this old stuff.

Book: Brave New World
Author: Aldous Huxley
For my classes: possibly
Comment: It would probably be fine for high school level and I'm sure it was revolutionary for its time, but as far as more modern distopias go, this didn't say too much by comparison.  It took a while to really say anything.
I enjoyed the author's writing style, and the plot progression was reasonable.

Book: A Breath of Snow and Ashes

Author: Diana Gabaldon

For my classes: No.

Comment: I like the stories.  If the plots and characters weren't so good, I would have stopped reading these a long time ago.  I couldn't say what it is, however, about the story that I like so much.  I can name many aspects I dislike.  I really don't like how the characters seem about 30 years younger than they are-- except for that, they are very good.  I also dislike how she opens up sub-plot options, but won't use of fulfill them for hundreds of pages or even several books.  I pay attention to detail, and this bothers me.


Book: Broken
Author: Kelley Armstrong
For my classes: no.

Comment: This, the last book of the series, was perhaps the best: the author finally hit her stride.  The writing style was the same, and it was pretty good throughout.  The difference, I believe, lies with the characters.  Previous main characters seemed a little weak or helpless, given the plots they were up against.  These characters were more what was expected and required.

Book: Calculating God

Author: Robert J. Sawyer

For my classes: no

Comment: Although dealing with rather controversial subjects, this book gives the reader some things to think on.
This book was different in writing style than the other 3 I have read by this author (The Neanderthal Parlax): it was more like a journal or biography of the main character.  It had a definite feeling of casualness that I personally don't enjoy.  I dislike feeling like I am being directly addressed.
Similar to the author Noah Gordon, this author, I have found, knows 3 things well: Toronto, archeology, and impossible sciences (time travel, extra terrestrials, and parallel universe theories, so far).


Book: Calling on Dragons

Author: Patricia C. Wrede

For my classes: No

Comment: This is the only book out of the three so far to leave off with a real cliff-hanger kind of ending. The others had a rather happily-ever-after quality to the endings that didn't necessitate the reading of the next book.  I like that, because then the choice to read on is purely my own, without any outside influences.
But that's nothing against the book, it's still very good.  Morwen's cats, who are much more involved in this book, are especially comical.  Good stuff.


Book: The Carnivorous Carnival (A Series of Unfortunate Events)

Author: Lemony Snicket
For my classes: I hope so

Comment: These are getting more sad and depressing, and also more thought-provoking, as we go on.  I am intrigued, yet concerned.

Book: Carpe Jugulum
Author: Terry Pratchett

For my classes: No

Comment: I always enjoy Pratchett's Ramtops books.  This one was more brutal than he tends to be though-- rather more cruel in the characters, and Death was less humorous.  It was a truer, meaner satire.  I think this author can be useful.
Incidentally, I think I've worked out something of an order (which I can't find posted) for the Witches series, which is actually a sub-series of The Discworld series.  See:
Wyrd Sisters
Witches Abroad
Lords and Laides
Maskerade
Carpe Jugulum
The Wee Free Men
Hat Full of Sky
Wintersmith (eta: May 2005)
I Shall Wear Midnight (eta: ? 06?)

Book: The Changeover

Author: Margeret Mahy

For my classes: Needs further evaluation

Comment: I enjoyed this book.  There are several things that make me balk to hand it to my classes, though.  The biggest issue is the casualness with which various issues of sexuality are addressed.
I don't feel any religious barriers to this book: it isn't trying to convert anyone or anything.  It brought forth ideas of family, of loss, of love (though not too well), of gender, of finding oneself, and of giving of that self.
Certainly it is to be considered seriously.
(I don't remember this book at all.)

Book: A Child Called "It"

Author: David Pelzer

For my classes: ?

Comment: Although this is a matter that needs to be discussed, I, personally, could not bring this book into a classroom.  I think kid should read it, but I could not teach it, it's way too emotional.
It was good writing, very evoking, but issues of truth, "truth," artistic license, and embellishment make me question the author a bit, so that I would put it in a category of "based on reality" rather than "realism."


Book: The Chocolate War
Author: Robert Cormier

For my classes: If they want
Comment: I did not enjoy this book (I guess it would be a "boy book"), but I don't have any real criticisms of it.  I did not identify with the characters at all, but that is not the fault of the author.  He did a fine job with the writing.  It is only I am the wrong audience.

Book: A Christmas Carol

Author: Charles Dickens

For my classes: under consideration

Comment:  This book was a fairly quick read and easy to understand.  It was also mass cool because of all the political and religious sentiments Dickens expressed.  I could definitely use this in  classroom.
("mass cool?"  Is this how I talked in 2004?)

Book: The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty

Author: Anne Rice, as A. N. Roquelaure

For my classes: not for anyone under 25

Comment: This book is just wrong on so many levels, yet does give the reader a few things to think about.  I would never use this book in a classroom, but I'd like to see what Social Science Ph.D. students would have to say about it.
The plot was weak, the sentence structure was poor, and the characters were sick.  I don't know if this story is supposed to be some kind of commentary, or if it is merely the product of a sick mind.  There's a reason it's banned.


Book: The City of Ember

Author: Jeanne DuPrau
For my classes: No

Comment: This was aimed at early readers, so wasn't challenging in any way at all, but it was good for its age group.  Good sentence structure and language.  Good character development.

Book: The Clan of the Cave Bear

Author: Jean Auel

For my classes: No

Comment: Although written from an evolutionary standpoint about a polytheist culture, the book was intriguing and even enjoyable.  Not too brainy, not too simple, good amount of description, this is the story of a woman who we all feel like at times.  I put off homework just for this book.  I laughed, I cried-- literally I did.  Emotionally moving with a twist of adventure, this book has the faint flavor of a Robinsonade (is that even a word?).  There wasn't even anything to be morally or ethically opposed to, as long as you remember it's about another culture; actually, about one that never existed.  It's a good story.  Not too thought-provoking, but who wants that?
(Was I drunk?!)


Book: Club Dead

Author: Charlaine Harris

For my classes: No

Comment:The human characters were likable from the beginning of the series, but other characters have taken a while to warm up.  I think that was the point and it was well done; good stuff.
(heh heh, "warm up.")

Book: The Cobra Event
Author: Richard Preston
For my classes: No
Comment: Although a good mystery in most ways, this book had a lot of coldly graphic scientific information.  These scenes were presented very well, however, I'm certainly not one for blood, but I was able to read it.  I read another book by this author as much as 8 years ago (The Hot Zone), and they seem to my poor memory to be very similar in writing style and presentation.
I can't say that I am eager to read more by this author; I tend to prefer a little less reality in my fiction.  However, I recommend him highly.

Book: Code Talkers
Author: Joseph Bruchac
For my classes: No
Comment: This book was very juvenile-- too young for its intended YA audience.  The writing was too easy.  The information was too nonexistent.  A 6-year-old could read and understand this.

from eons ago

A note about the blog now in case you don't want to read to the end: content will now focus more on adult fiction, as, in my new position, I will interact with t(w)eens rarely-- the children's librarian will oversee birth through 18, and I will pick up from there.  I may also experiment with including more media reviews-- in addition to traditional print, I will also be ordering all AV.  So if the new focus isn't helpful for you, it won't hurt my feelings if you stop following me.

Even though we don't know when we'll be moving, I am already packing the books and other things we can live without for a few months.  I found my old pre-blog binders, books organized alphabetically by title and, sadly, entries undated.  I am surprised by how many of these I can actually remember the basic plot or characters for.

I like how I have them organized and formatted.  At the time, I was still planning on teaching high school English (and being one of those against-the-system!-read-outside-the-canon! cool teachers), so these reviews were written between 2001, when I was a college sophomore at Olympic Community College, and 2006, two years after finishing my undergrad in English @ WSU, and at which time I moved to the blog.  Some of these entries sound pretty pretentious; I blame my undergrad English classes.  I hope my writing has improved since.  Bleh!  Anyway, in case you are bored (I am), some are below.

Beginning in the A-H volume:

Book: Abarat
Author: Clive Barker
[Page blank.] 
(I have read this three times and I don't know what to think.  Apparently I need to read it a few more times.)

Book: Across the Nightingale Floor
Author: Lian Hearn
For my classes: Perhaps not
Comment: Although I cannot name one aspect of this book which was spectacular, it strikes me as one I would yet label "good."  And yet, it is best described as "satisfactory": the language was not amazing, the character developments left a little missing, the plot progression felt just a smidge lacking, and the background behind this imaginary world left questions.  And yet, it was good.
(I don't remember this one at all.)

Book: Ahab's Wife (or, The Star Gazer)
Author: Sena Jeter Naslund
For my classes: Yes
Comment: I enjoyed this book very much.  It is a recent publication, but has the more classic feel to it.  Although it is based on Moby Dick, it is not reliant upon it.  I like how it used letters-- both written and received-- to augment the story telling, as well as a few short chapters written from the point of view of other characters, mostly Ahab.
What I didn't like was how it gave away at the beginning some important life events.  It changes how the reader perceives the story, waiting for the out-of-place bits to fit in.  Knowing from the first that the character would marry both before and after Ahab, for example, makes one overly-examine every male character introduced and second-guess the relationship.

Book: The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents
Author: Terry Pratchett
For my classes: No
Comment: This was more a children's than the rest of his Discworld series-- about on the level of The Wee Free Men.  It was a good story, but lacked the satire of many of his books.

Book: Angel of Midnight
Author: Jo-Ann Power
For my classes: No.
Comment: Although uncomfortable with the forced language, like most historical smut, I appreciate that this one was actually based on something believable: It uses a Robin Hood kind of character as a hero, who helps the heroine thwart King John.  To complete the cast is even an evil sheriff kind of guy, although this character adds a twist to Robin's background.
Smut, but not the worst I've ever read.
(I don't remember this one at all.)

Book: Anansi Boys
Author: Neil Gaiman
For my classes: No
Comment: This story has the same general background as American Gods, but wasn't as good, for reasons I can't really identify.  The sense of mystery was sadly lacking.  Also, the characters seemed less real, or maybe just less personable to me.
(I don't know where my review for American Gods is, but I definitely remember reading it.)

Book: Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging
Author: Louise Rennison
For my classes: Under Consideration
Comment: Not only was this book funny and enjoyable, it was entirely believable.  The writer did an amazing job of sounding like the character she was portraying.
I think this will be a great book for girls of the teenage persuasion, because it talks about things they are interested in (Sex Gods and snogging, for example) but doesn't tell them anything about it; it just lets them think about it on their own.  A great book, really.

Book: Area 51
Author: Robert Doherty
For my classes: Perhaps
Comment: This was an interesting book, with a well-developed plot line and reliable characters.  I enjoyed this author's writing style in many ways.  The one flaw, if I remember correctly, was a strong tendency to end phrases with prepositions.
He brought together his facts marvelously, very convincingly, but 15 minutes of internet research showed that he was misrepresenting some facts, giving others spins or ties they did not have, and even totally making some up.  It was a great conspiracy theory until one looks elsewhere.
(Apparently I expected fiction authors to tell the truth...?)

Book: Area 51: The Reply
Author: Robert Doherty
For my classes: if the 1st one is
Comment: Other than what happened within the plot and one character's change in personality, this book was not appreciably different from the first in the series.

Book: Ars Magica
Author: Judith Tarr
For my classes: No
Comment: I didn't especially like this book, although I can't pin down why. The writing style was alright.  I didn't like how it just skimmed over (or ignored) huge spans of years (as many as 20).
The characters didn't seem to grow or change; nominally, they aged,but stayed the same.
It is supposedly based on an historical character and stayed true to the known details, few though they are.

Book: The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events)
Author: Lemony Snicket
For my classes: Please.
Comment: My opinion has not changed (see The Ersatz Elevator).  I am beginning to be concerned about the emotions that pervade the books-- how much melancholy can a 7-year-old handle?

Book: The Beasts of Tarzan
Author: Edgar Rice Burroughs
For my classes: Probably not
Comment: The story is interesting, but the ideas expressed, and language/vocabulary used to express it, strongly reflect certain prejudices of the time.  All of the other characters are presented as so very beneath Tarzan and Jane.  They are described constantly as "brutes" and painted as barely civilized.
I think this book would be a good example of supremist [sic] attitudes and could be studied as such, but it probably is inappropriate in any other light.

Book: Beauty's Punishment
Author: A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
For my classes: No!
Comment: It's been a while since I read this, so I can only say with surety that this is some seriously messed up stuff and I want to see what abnormal psych students do with this.

Book: The Beekeeper's Apprentice
Author: Laurie King
For my classes: sure
Comment: Although I cannot entirely see the Holmes of this series as the Holmes of the original, the two are very close, and the characters discrepancies (a slightly more personable manner, etc.) can mostly be brushed off and attributed to the passing of years, although the character in this book (as well as the following ones) does not act like any near-60-year-old.
I have no complaints about the writing style and quite enjoy the other characters.  The author does make some minor references to the original Doyle series but they are mere mentions (i.e., "this is similar to the circumstances in the Empty House case all those years ago," etc.).

Book: Birds of Prey
Author: Wilbur Smith
For my classes: under supervision
Comment: I'd consider recommending this book, because it tells one of those coming-of-age stories.  There is alot of violence-- though not too much gore-- and a fair number of sexual scenes.
The character and plot developments were fair, and I can't fault the author's grammar.  However, he tried to use a mode of speech appropriate for the time period: it was clear that he was not used to or uncomfortable with it.
(I don't remember this one at all.)

Book: Bitten
Author: Kelley Armstrong
For my classes: No
Comment: This is a series, yet the position of 1st person jumps among characters. 
I furthermore disliked this book because the main character doesn't jive with the character she later becomes.

Book: Black Powder War
Author: Naomi Novik
For my classes: No
Comment: This was, unfortunately, the worst of the bunch.  The punctuation and grammar failed to improve and, although the attempt was made at being action-packed like the first book, it was not, nor did it have the inter-character relationship tension that the second book had.  All in all, a sub-par reading.

Book: The Black Swan
Author: Mercedes Lackey
For my classes: highly doubtful
Comment: I've said it before about this author and I am forced to say it again: The only way this author has of distinguishing that her books are not for younger readers is through the inclusion of sexual elements.  These types of scenes can be done well; hers are not.
Besides that rather unfortunate element, I usually enjoy her stories of fairy tale remakes.
I have to accuse this one, however, of being substandard.  She employed the bad tactic of having characters show up places or do things that make no sense, because the story needs them to do so.  Rather than giving a reason for them to act in such a way, she ignores it, hoping it will go away.

Book: Book of Enchantments
Author: Patricia Wrede
For my classes: for use in class
Comment: This was a book of short stories; several were in the Enchanted Forest and one even used the characters from those stories.  A few had modern settings, while some were more random.  I especially liked "Roses by Moonlight" and "Stronger than Time;" these may be useful in a high school or English 101 class.
Almost all of the stories were up to the par I expect from this author.

Book: The Book of Laughter and Forgetting
Author: Milano Kundera
For my classes: Definitely
Comment: I really enjoyed this book and look forward to using it in a classroom.  It was set against the backdrop of historical events, which effect and shadow the tales, which were very good insights into the nature of humanity.
(I don't remember this one at all.  How can I completely forget something I claimed to love?)

well that was fun.

well, that was quick

Exactly one week after being laid off, I was offered a job at a library I interviewed for  10 days ago.  Hurrah!

I have no books to report; I've barely been reading, spending all my time on legal stuff and job applications.  I can't even read at lunch anymore because my lunch break has gone from a one-hour break in the quiet staff room to a 15-minute break, mostly spent getting more juice for my son.  But I am over half-way through the new Terry Pratchett novel.

Low 8th Grade & 7th Grade Book Talk Books

There was some overlap between books that I took to the regular and high 8th grade that I also took to low 8th grade and all of 7th, so below isn't a comprehensive list, just one limited by blogger's tag limit.  Come on, blogger!


Anya's Ghost, by Vera Brosgol.  A graphic novel I really enjoyed!  The art is great, how the illustrator used color and lack thereof.  The story gets a little creepy toward the end; just about right for this age level (although the main character is in high school).

Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading, by Tommy Greenwald.  Although a lower reading and interest level (I was only planning on taking this to 6th grade in November), I thought the low readers would appreciate it.  I can't say they seemed excited about it.

The Clueless Girl's Guide to Being a Genius, by Janice Repka.  Not a plausible story line, but the author presented it so well, with characters who seem so normal, that it seemed totally possible.

Define "Normal", by Julie Anne Peters.  Middling reviews, I didn't actually read a word, just gave a brief synopsis to fill an extra few minutes.

Genesis Alpha, by Rune Michaels.  This book has a great level of suspense, and I also appreciate the science-morality questions.  This would be really good in a small classroom or reading group: there's plenty to discuss.

Lawn Boy, by Gary Paulsen. It's weird and I love it and I don't really know why.

Twilight, the Graphic Novel, by Stephenie Meyer. An easy one to bring, promotes graphic novel formats to readers who may not have tried them before.

We Could Be Brothers, by Derrick Barnes.  This one really resonated with the 8th grade low readers.  I can see why it would be popular (which is why I brought it), but even I was surprised: almost the whole class wrote it down.

High School Musical: Battle of the Bands, by N.B. Grace.  Also did not read, but an easy and fast AR point for the kind of kids who like this sort of thing.

Technically, It's not my Fault, by John Grandits.  Meh.  AR, thin book with lots of white space.  I know what some kids are really looking for in a book.

Big Nate: In a Class by Himself, by Lincoln Pierce.  This is kind of like Captain Underpants: main character/narrator is middle school boy, the text is accompanied by sketches and illustrations.  It's pretty funny but not exactly intellectually stimulating.

The reason there are even more than usual (even for me) is because the 8th grade teachers requested a separate book talk tweaked for the lower reading class.  Many titles were presented to all groups, but some were presented just to high readers, or just to low readers.

I was back in the schools on Wednesday for 7th grade.  I had a shorter class period, and I reused some of the books.  Additional/unique titles are:

Withering Tights, by Louise Rennison.  This is a great book.  It's like the author has distilled her earlier work.  Not exactly brainiac reading level, but good.

Freak, by Marcella Pixley.  There is a lot going on here.  This book is a good working definition for "problem novel."  Totally appropriate for 7th and 8th-- and maybe even 6th-- grade, but there are many difficult topics presented.  This would be awesome in small group reading.

The Misfits, by James Howe.  This would also be good as a class read, and appropriate for an entire class (like the 25 that are crammed in at the public schools I visit).  An easier reading level for the target age level but doesn't skimp on some big questions.

The Princess Diaries, by Meg Cabot.  Some things I forgot to say as I trickled to a stop about 3/4 of the way through the series:
1.  It is severely dated.  What 12-year-old likely reading this remembers dial-up unless they live out in the boondocks?  The language is also a little telling.
2.  It has started to get pretty monotonous.  Mia isn't learning.  I think that's the thing that is bothering me: each book has the same structure, and Mia isn't learning from her past experiences, and is therefore experiencing no character growth.  She's like 15, she's supposed to be maturing over the course of the year, not stagnating (although some 15-year-olds do that, I know...)

Regular & High 8th Grade Book Talk Books

Books I took to book talks before everything went down, post 1: books in the presentation to normal-reading-level and high-reading-level 8th graders.

Alligator Bayou, by Donna Jo Napoli.  One of the very few historical fiction books I've read recently that I thought good enough to promote.  Historical fiction generally doesn't do well with my kids (well, used-to-be-my kids), but I sold this on the "based on a true historical episode," which I found very interesting, as well.

The Boy From the Basement, by Susan Shaw.  The kids ate this up.  I actually had 2 patrons around middle-school age come in as I was preparing these presentations and say they read and liked A Child Called It (they "liked" it?  that kind of weirded me out...), and they were excited about this title.  I book talked this in all 3 classes/presentations, and everyone seemed pretty interested.

The Dark Side of Nowhere, by Neal Shusterman.  Very quick, easy read, but a good one to include for gearing-up-for-Halloween; nice elements of suspense, although a little heavy-handed with the foreshadowing.

Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature, by Robin Brande.  This was the most amazing book.  It has some really great moments, and a must-have for all public and school libraries.  Like The Dead and the Gone, I appreciate how important religion is to the main character, and she is able to express her beliefs, but the book never feels preachy.  This isn't "Christian Fiction," the point of which is to convert readers; this is a problem novel in which the main character happens to take her Christianity seriously.

I am Number Four, by Pittacus Lore.  Like I said, appropriate for 7th and up.  Not as much apparent interest as I had anticipated, and I would have thought more kids would have seen the movie.

Izzy, Willy-Nilly, by Cynthia Voight.  I didn't finish this, but read enough to get a good sense of the book.  This is a great book to give to kids (girls, mostly) who adore those terrible Lurlene McDaniel teenage-death-and-love-story paperbacks. 

Life as We Knew It, by Susan Pfeffer.  I didn't reread this, just remembered how fantastic it was.  I had been promoting this in past years to 6th grade, and the 6th grade teacher read it over the summer and loved it.  I also brought this one to 7th grade, and two of the students in the high-achieving reader class had this with them and were loving it.  I actually like it best when I can bring a book one or two people in the class have read, because they also like to share their opinion; the rest of the students see that it's not just me and my weirdness.

A Mango-Shaped Space, by Wendy Mass.  Synesthesia was a really popular plot device in adult-level fiction in the spring and early summer.  I looked at so many new mystery series where the detective had to retire early because of TBI, but developed synesthesia and became a P.I.  Unlike all those novels, this one is really well done, factually correct, and reads more like a regular problem novel than a weird disorder book.  Give to everyone.

Miles from Ordinary, by Carol Lynch Williams.  (also mentioned The Chosen One by the same author).  Not my favorite book of the bunch, but this author is really great at getting into the heads of girls whose life experiences are vastly different from normal suburban middle school, and making them seem like totally regular people.

Peeps, by Scott Westerfeld.  Interesting story, fast-paced, and I'm super surprised the author hasn't beat the idea to death through a too-long series yet.

Red Pyramid (and Lost Hero), by Rick Riordan.  Riordan is my concession to popularity.  Plus, talking about his work lets me promote three series and about 10 books in one go.

The Scary States of America, by Michael Teitelbaum.  This actually has no AR (come on, AR people!) so I just skimmed by with a quick overview.  My concession to Halloween, but the three stories I read weren't particularly scary or even very suspenseful.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, by Alvin Schwartz.  I thought this would be scarier, because the drawings between the stories are super creepy, but the stories themselves are pretty bland.

The Shadow Club, by Neal Shusterman.  Much better than The Dark Side of Nowhere, this had a more realistic plot, and as a result, the kids responded to it better.

Sidekicks, by Jack D. Ferraiolo. This is a super-awesome book, partly because I love what the author did, setting up the world, then throwing a chapter of curve balls, then expecting the reader to assimilate that information and go on.

Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson.  I haven't read this since college, and I didn't remember how haunting and powerful it is.  I promoted it only the high-reading 8th graders, and a few had even read it already and had great things to say about it.

Stuck in Neutral, by Terry Trueman.  This book is apparently like, my cause this year or something, because I've tried to make the entire middle school read it.  It is amazing.  There is also a really great book trailer I've been trying to use for ages and I was finally able to make it work for these visits.  But some of the kids laughed, which I totally didn't expect.  That was somehow worse than the kids who slept during my presentations.

Who, What, Wear, by Olivia Bennett.  This is actually a sequel, but it isn't one that requires the reader to remember minute details from book one, so I was able to jump in easily.