This hour
Book read: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg (finished!)
Pages read: 60
Time spent reading: 38 minutes
Food and drink consumed:
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Pages read: 814 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 9 hour 35 minutes
And I think, with that, I am done. I can barely keep my eyes open. Thank you, everyone, for a great readathon!!
Sunday, April 28, 2013
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 21
This hour
Book read: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Pages read: 59
Time spent reading: 40 minutes
Food and drink consumed: butter waffle cookies from Trader Joe's
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Pages read: 754 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 8 hour 57 minutes
Book read: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Pages read: 59
Time spent reading: 40 minutes
Food and drink consumed: butter waffle cookies from Trader Joe's
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Pages read: 754 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 8 hour 57 minutes
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 20
This hour
Book read: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Pages read: 42
Time spent reading: 30 minutes
Food and drink consumed: berry seltzer
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Pages read: 695 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 8 hour 17 minutes
Book read: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Pages read: 42
Time spent reading: 30 minutes
Food and drink consumed: berry seltzer
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Pages read: 695 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 8 hour 17 minutes
24-Hour Read-a-thon - The Selection
So my major problem with the 24-hour read-a-thon is that sometimes you read a book that is SO GOOD, you don't want to muck it up by jumping right into another book. There's a quote from The Thirteenth Tale (which I don't even remember reading, but I must have, long ago, to have copied this quote down) that sums it up completely:
"All morning I struggled with the sensation of stray wisps of one world seeping through the cracks of another. Do you know the feeling when you start reading a new book before the membrane of the last one has had time to close behind you? You leave the previous book with ideas and themes -- characters even -- caught in the fibers of your clothes, and when you open the new book, they are still with you."
Having just completed The Selection by Kiera Cass, I am struggling with just those feelings. I don't have the second book in my hands right now, and even if I did, I fear that THAT much immersion in the world would leave me unsatisfied. But as of right now, I'm itching for more, and I can't possibly think what book I could settle on next.
I think all that needs to be said to sell this book is that it is a less violent Hunger Games mashed up with The Bachelor. I love the characters, especially narrator America (despite her name), and I'm having an even easier time making a decision on which boy she should pick than I did in Hunger Games (and I am firmly on Team Peeta). However, I also love that even America doesn't think it just is about which boy to choose.
At least The Selection has gotten me worked up enough that I'm not really tired.
At least The Selection has gotten me worked up enough that I'm not really tired.
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 19
This hour
Book read: The Selection by Kiera Cass (OH MY GOD THIS BOOK!)
Pages read: 79
Time spent reading: 45 minutes
Food and drink consumed:
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 653 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 7 hour 47 minutes
Book read: The Selection by Kiera Cass (OH MY GOD THIS BOOK!)
Pages read: 79
Time spent reading: 45 minutes
Food and drink consumed:
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 653 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 7 hour 47 minutes
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 18
This hour
Book read: The Selection by Kiera Cass (THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD!!!)
Pages read: 80
Time spent reading: 50 minutes
Food and drink consumed:
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 574 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 7 hour 2 minutes
Although I'm dying to finish The Selection and am wishing madly that I had the next book, The Elite, with me right now, I'm going to take a minute to participate in this hour's mini challenge, mostly because there is voting for awesome book covers there.
Read-a-thon Cover Me Mini Challenge - pick your favorite from each category!
1)Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls - I literally did a double take when I first saw that title.
2) Well, I'm pretty sure I'm obliged to say The Elite because of how much I'm LOVING The Selection right this minute.
3) My Mother's War - There's just something about old photographs that I love.
4) Bake It Like You Mean It - I have simply adored Gesine Bullock-Prado since I read her first book, and the combination of the hearts and the vertical stripes make me want to lick my screen.
5) I would usually always opt for a sock monkey, but LOOK AT THAT SLOTH!!!!!
6) I'll Take What She Has - That kid is literally flying!
7) Uh, dragons, hello. They could step on you.
8) I love the symmetry in the cover of Bodies of Subversion.
9) Hysteria - reminds me of Magritte's Rider in the Woods
Book read: The Selection by Kiera Cass (THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD!!!)
Pages read: 80
Time spent reading: 50 minutes
Food and drink consumed:
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 574 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 7 hour 2 minutes
Although I'm dying to finish The Selection and am wishing madly that I had the next book, The Elite, with me right now, I'm going to take a minute to participate in this hour's mini challenge, mostly because there is voting for awesome book covers there.
Read-a-thon Cover Me Mini Challenge - pick your favorite from each category!
1)Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls - I literally did a double take when I first saw that title.
2) Well, I'm pretty sure I'm obliged to say The Elite because of how much I'm LOVING The Selection right this minute.
3) My Mother's War - There's just something about old photographs that I love.
4) Bake It Like You Mean It - I have simply adored Gesine Bullock-Prado since I read her first book, and the combination of the hearts and the vertical stripes make me want to lick my screen.
5) I would usually always opt for a sock monkey, but LOOK AT THAT SLOTH!!!!!
6) I'll Take What She Has - That kid is literally flying!
7) Uh, dragons, hello. They could step on you.
8) I love the symmetry in the cover of Bodies of Subversion.
9) Hysteria - reminds me of Magritte's Rider in the Woods
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 17
This hour
Book read: The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 71
Time spent reading: 49 minutes
Food and drink consumed: delicious butter waffle cookies from Trader Joe's
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 494 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 6 hour 12 minutes
Book read: The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 71
Time spent reading: 49 minutes
Food and drink consumed: delicious butter waffle cookies from Trader Joe's
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 494 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 6 hour 12 minutes
Saturday, April 27, 2013
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 16
This hour
Book read: The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 59
Time spent reading: 38 minutes
Food and drink consumed:
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 423 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 5 hour 23 minutes
Book read: The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 59
Time spent reading: 38 minutes
Food and drink consumed:
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 423 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 5 hour 23 minutes
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 15 and mid-event survey
This hour
Book read: The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 37
Time spent reading: 30 minutes
Food and drink consumed: chocolate covered raisins
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 364 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 4 hour 45 minutes
Book read: The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 37
Time spent reading: 30 minutes
Food and drink consumed: chocolate covered raisins
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Selection by Kiera Cass
Pages read: 364 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 4 hour 45 minutes
Mid-Event Survey
1) How are you doing? Sleepy? Are your eyes tired? Starting to get there, but I've only been reading for about 4 hours! So much left to go!
2) What have you finished reading? In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce and Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
3) What is your favorite read so far? I was surprised at how much I loved In the Hand of the Goddess. I can't wait to read more of the series!
4) What about your favorite snacks? The pizza I had for dinner was pretty damn good.
5) Have you found any new blogs through the readathon? If so, give them some love! Not yet. I figure internet browsing will be a good way to keep me going in the wee hours.
2) What have you finished reading? In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce and Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
3) What is your favorite read so far? I was surprised at how much I loved In the Hand of the Goddess. I can't wait to read more of the series!
4) What about your favorite snacks? The pizza I had for dinner was pretty damn good.
5) Have you found any new blogs through the readathon? If so, give them some love! Not yet. I figure internet browsing will be a good way to keep me going in the wee hours.
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Diary of a Wimpy Kid
When I worked as a bookseller, I tended not to read the big hits (Hunger Games aside, but I read that long ago). Those books didn't need my help to fly off the shelf. So I never bothered to read any of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.
As a librarian, however, my role is different. I need to know why something is popular, not just that it is. I spent the last hour plowing through the first Wimpy Kid book, and I can say I was pleasantly surprised. I even laughed out loud a couple times! I can definitely see why Kinney's books are so popular.
Will I read more in the series? Probably eventually, but I'm in no rush. I'm glad I read this one, though, so at least I can be more educated when kids tell me that they want something like this.
As a librarian, however, my role is different. I need to know why something is popular, not just that it is. I spent the last hour plowing through the first Wimpy Kid book, and I can say I was pleasantly surprised. I even laughed out loud a couple times! I can definitely see why Kinney's books are so popular.
Will I read more in the series? Probably eventually, but I'm in no rush. I'm glad I read this one, though, so at least I can be more educated when kids tell me that they want something like this.
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 14
This hour
Book read: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (read the whole thing!)
Pages read: 217
Time spent reading: 55 minutes
Food and drink consumed: just water
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Pages read: 327 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 4 hour 15 minutes
Book read: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (read the whole thing!)
Pages read: 217
Time spent reading: 55 minutes
Food and drink consumed: just water
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Pages read: 327 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 4 hour 15 minutes
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 13
This hour
Book read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce (finished it!)
Pages read: 21
Time spent reading: 30 minutes
Food and drink consumed: just water
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 110 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 3 hour 20 minutes
Book read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce (finished it!)
Pages read: 21
Time spent reading: 30 minutes
Food and drink consumed: just water
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 110 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 3 hour 20 minutes
24-Hour Read-a-thon: In The Hands of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
I started the Song of the Lioness series a week or so ago as part of the YALSA Hub Challenge to read as many of the award nominated young adult books from this year as possible. Tamora Pierce was awarded the Edwards Award for the Song of the Lioness series, as well as the Protector of the Small series. I have seen these books a million times, but they never struck me as something I might want to read.
And while I enjoyed the first book, simply called Alanna, I really loved this one. Alanna, masquerading as Alan so she can train to become a knight, spent much of the first book just struggling to be accepted as a boy. She often got picked on or teased for being the smallest or weakest of the bunch of pages. In this book, however, she has clearly earned her place amongst the squires (the step up from pages), and she finally began to understand what it means to be a woman AND a man.
I kind of want to jump right into the next book in the series, but I might vary it up so I don't get bored.
And while I enjoyed the first book, simply called Alanna, I really loved this one. Alanna, masquerading as Alan so she can train to become a knight, spent much of the first book just struggling to be accepted as a boy. She often got picked on or teased for being the smallest or weakest of the bunch of pages. In this book, however, she has clearly earned her place amongst the squires (the step up from pages), and she finally began to understand what it means to be a woman AND a man.
I kind of want to jump right into the next book in the series, but I might vary it up so I don't get bored.
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 12
This hour
Book read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
Pages read: 30
Time spent reading: 48 minutes
Food and drink consumed: some pizza with feta and olives. Holy salt rush!
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 89 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 2 hour 50 minutes
Book read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
Pages read: 30
Time spent reading: 48 minutes
Food and drink consumed: some pizza with feta and olives. Holy salt rush!
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 89 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 2 hour 50 minutes
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 11
I just made it home from work, and thanks to more traffic than usual on a Saturday, I got through most of a disc of Code Name Verity!
I am super excited to be home because now I can join in on the reading for real!!!
This hour
Book read: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: most of 1 disc
Time spent reading: 45 minutes
Food and drink consumed: a venti caramel macchiato - I need the fuel!
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 49 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 2 hour 10 minutes
I am super excited to be home because now I can join in on the reading for real!!!
This hour
Book read: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: most of 1 disc
Time spent reading: 45 minutes
Food and drink consumed: a venti caramel macchiato - I need the fuel!
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 49 (plus 1 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 2 hour 10 minutes
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 7
This hour
Book read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
Pages read: 18
Time spent reading: 20 minutes
Food and drink consumed: lemon poppyseed muffin and honeydew melon, water
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 49 (plus 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 1 hour 25 minutes
Mini Challenge: Best and Worst Covers
This hour's reading challenge (my first of this read-a-thon!) is to pick a book that has one edition with an awesome cover and another with a terrible one. There are just so many out there like that - I would spend a lot of time while I was working in bookstore land laughing at bad covers.
But for this, I had to go with what is probably my favorite book - The Secret History by Donna Tartt. I can so clearly picture the first time I saw it, as I wandered the aisles of my local Barnes & Noble. There was a copy of it (trade size) on an endcap (I don't even know if there was a theme to the endcap), and it had a stunning photograph of an ancient Greek statue on it. I read the synopsis, which sounded interesting, but I mostly bought it because of that cover.
But while working as a bookseller, I came across the mass market edition from sometime in the '90s. Ye gods, this this is hideous! If I had seen this on the shelf first, there is NO. WAY. IN. HELL. I would have picked it up.
By the way, if you google image search this book, there are some other WAY cool covers out there. I don't know where they came from, because I can't find any links to editions with those covers, but they're pretty damn cool to see anyway. Maybe they're British editions?
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 5
Oh, I so wish I could be reading along with all of you right now! I'm currently diligently working on my plans for summer reading for my teens. Apparently we've never had much success at my library with teen summer reading (for the smaller kids, it's HUGE), and I'm hoping I can bring some life to it this year.
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 29 (plus 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 29 (plus 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 1 hour 5 minutes
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 4
This hour
Book read: Can I count my Baker & Taylor DVD and CD catalog? I pre-ordered Warm Bodies!
Pages read:
Time spent reading:
Food and drink consumed: coffeeeeeee
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 29 (plus 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 1 hour 5 minutes
Book read: Can I count my Baker & Taylor DVD and CD catalog? I pre-ordered Warm Bodies!
Pages read:
Time spent reading:
Food and drink consumed: coffeeeeeee
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 29 (plus 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 1 hour 5 minutes
24-Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 3
On my way to work...
This hour
Book read: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 1/2 disc
Time spent reading: 30 minutes
Food and drink consumed: handful of jellybeans
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 29 (plus 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 1 hour 5 minutes
This hour
Book read: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 1/2 disc
Time spent reading: 30 minutes
Food and drink consumed: handful of jellybeans
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Pages read: 29 (plus 1/2 disc)
Time spent reading: 1 hour 5 minutes
24 Hour Read-a-thon - Hour 2
I managed to get a little reading in this morning. Sadly, I have to head off to work now. That means there'll be a little audiobook-ing in the car and some light reading on my lunch break, but I won't be back full-swing until after 5. I'll update before then if I have a moment. Good luck, everyone!
This hour
Book read: In The Hand Of The Goddess by Tamora Pierce
Pages read: 29
Time spent reading: 35 minutes
Food and drink consumed: Granola bar and seltzer water
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
Pages read: 29
Time spent reading: 35 minutes
This hour
Book read: In The Hand Of The Goddess by Tamora Pierce
Pages read: 29
Time spent reading: 35 minutes
Food and drink consumed: Granola bar and seltzer water
Total
Books read: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
Pages read: 29
Time spent reading: 35 minutes
Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon - Hour 1!
I am so excited to be taking part in the latest Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-thon! It's a day when book lovers across the world devote 24 hours to nothing but reading (ok, and blogging about reading). These are my family :)
Introductory Questionnaire
1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? I'm just outside Boston
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? Argh, you're going to make me choose?! I have pulled out ALL the books that I've been meaning to read for ages, so all of them have me excited for one reason or another. No, really, I can't choose.
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? I am ordering pizza for dinner. Haven't had good pizza in a long time!
4) Tell us a little something about yourself! I'm a YA librarian in a small town in the far reaches of Boston suburbia. I also blog about food and crafts.
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? I participated in one in 2008 and LOVED it! I guess I had just forgotten about it/been too busy in the intervening years. I'm really happy to be back!
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? Argh, you're going to make me choose?! I have pulled out ALL the books that I've been meaning to read for ages, so all of them have me excited for one reason or another. No, really, I can't choose.
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? I am ordering pizza for dinner. Haven't had good pizza in a long time!
4) Tell us a little something about yourself! I'm a YA librarian in a small town in the far reaches of Boston suburbia. I also blog about food and crafts.
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? I participated in one in 2008 and LOVED it! I guess I had just forgotten about it/been too busy in the intervening years. I'm really happy to be back!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Review: Personal Effects (Audio)
When I received a copy of Personal Effects by E.M. Kokie from Candlewick Press, I wasn't terribly excited to read about it. My usual tastes don't trend towards current day, real-life fiction, especially involving American soldiers. And so, the book sat on my shelf for months.
But when it showed up again on YALSA's 2013 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults, I was curious. I have an easier time with books I'm not terribly interested in if I listen to them instead (as long as the reader is good), so I thought it would be worth a try.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book! Matt, the narrator, is a troubled and troubling young man, and I spent much of the book just wanting to give him a hug. He's still reeling from the death of his brother, a soldier in Afghanistan, 7 months earlier, and when he comes across some letters in his brother's personal effects, he starts to wonder if he didn't know his brother as well as he thought.
The story itself meanders a bit, and there were a few too many "startling" revelations for me near the end. But the main plot line was compelling enough to keep me entertained (and even to sit in my car to finish a scene more than once).
The real winner here, though, is the reader of the audiobook. Finding readers who don't just read the story but add to it is hard; I've had some audiobooks that I've turned off immediately because the narrator was just ruining them. But Nick Podehl brings such life to Matt, along with the rest of the cast of characters, that the story felt that much more real and immediate to me. I doubt I would have enjoyed it as much if I had just read the story.
This is definitely one to check out on audio.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Review: Tell the Wolves I'm Home
June, a shy, awkward 14-year-old living just outside New York City in 1987, doesn't know what to do with herself after her beloved uncle Finn dies from AIDS. She's growing further and further apart from her sister, and her parents, both accountants, are completely distracted by tax season. So when her uncle's prized teapot, along with a note from a mysterious stranger asking to meet her, shows up at her door, June can't help herself - she just has to go meet him.
Despite working in the YA field, every time I hear the phrase "coming-of-age," I cringe a bit. That moniker is often tacked onto a book (or movie, tv show, etc) that is more sappy than sweet and often terribly cliched and trite. So when Tell the Wolves I'm Home showed up on my radar (as an Alex Award winner for 2013), I wasn't too excited to read it. It had "coming-of-age" written all over it. More often than not, works of literary fiction about teens fall flat, because the situations or the language just feel false for the young characters (*cough* Age of Miracles *cough*). But since the Alex Award winners are often some of the only adult books I read, I thought I should give it a shot.
I was barely into the book before I was completely in love with it. June, despite being so shy and awkward, is also strong and smart. She takes her time making decisions, and she knows how to play people off each other to get what she wants (although she doesn't always understand the consequences). Her relationship with her uncle and the pain she feels after his death are palpable, and at times, I wanted to shake her parents into not being there for her to help with her grieving. I found myself rushing through the book because I didn't want to leave June alone - how crazy is that?
So go spend some time with June. She could use a friend.
Despite working in the YA field, every time I hear the phrase "coming-of-age," I cringe a bit. That moniker is often tacked onto a book (or movie, tv show, etc) that is more sappy than sweet and often terribly cliched and trite. So when Tell the Wolves I'm Home showed up on my radar (as an Alex Award winner for 2013), I wasn't too excited to read it. It had "coming-of-age" written all over it. More often than not, works of literary fiction about teens fall flat, because the situations or the language just feel false for the young characters (*cough* Age of Miracles *cough*). But since the Alex Award winners are often some of the only adult books I read, I thought I should give it a shot.
I was barely into the book before I was completely in love with it. June, despite being so shy and awkward, is also strong and smart. She takes her time making decisions, and she knows how to play people off each other to get what she wants (although she doesn't always understand the consequences). Her relationship with her uncle and the pain she feels after his death are palpable, and at times, I wanted to shake her parents into not being there for her to help with her grieving. I found myself rushing through the book because I didn't want to leave June alone - how crazy is that?
So go spend some time with June. She could use a friend.
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