Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures
A friend let me borrow this awhile ago. It seemed like the only time I was reading was while eating breakfast, and I didn't want to risk spattering milk on someone else's book, so this languished.After the announcement that this had won the 2014 Newbery medal, I decided I'd better finish (and return) it! Loved this one, it had me laughing out loud several times.
I was saying yesterday (when I gave just 3 stars to Doll Bones), that maybe the problem was that I wasn't the target audience. Well, I'm not the target for this book, either, so maybe it's just that Doll Bones wasn't "me" -- but Flora and her superhero squirrel are definitely up my alley.....
Doll Bones
I've had this hanging around on my iPad, partially read for several weeks. After it earned a Newbery Honor today, I thought I'd better finish it. I almost hate to rate it, because I think my 3 star rating is a case of not being the target audience, and while I thought it was OK, I wasn't in love with it.
The Girl in the Steel Corset
This had a good premise, but ultimately I was underwhelmed. The world-building was interesting, but there was too much of it, like it was trying too hard. Some of the cultural stuff was especially frustrating, inconsistent and again, trying too hard.Throw in some insta-love and not one, but TWO love triangles...and a plot that even I could guess at long before the characters caught on....this could have been much better, and while I did finish it, I don't know that I'll check out the others.
Throne of Glass
With all the hype, I hesitated to try this, but when I saw it on NEIBORS (my library ebook site), I decided to give it a try, and I'm glad I did! Really enjoyed it, and am looking forward to book #2.
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession
This was a completely accidental find -- I was searching NEIBORS for books by an author with the last name of Hoover, and this came up in the search. My NaNoWriMo novel is about a librarian, and the idea of book thieves totally caught my attention. I'm not a huge reader of nonfiction, but this read more like a novel in some ways, and I was just fascinated. The thief in question is just so outrageous, he would say completely contradictory things and not seem to be aware that he made no sense to others, his worldview, and view of himself were just completely wacko.
I really enjoyed this, and it has given me some food for thought for my own writing.
Careless in Red
I'm surprised this isn't marked as read. I don't remember when I read it, and I'm not going to give it a star rating.
The Last Dragonslayer
I just love Jasper Fforde, his humor and his creativity. I'm always jealous of his world-building and wordplay. I wish I could be this clever.This is slightly more accessible than his Thursday Next books (which I love, but which always make me feel a little stupid because I don't catch all of the literary references.
It's clearly the first in a series, but it's a complete story, thankfully. I look forward to reading more.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
I had never read this before, and I'm trying to fill in some gaps: there are a lot of Newbery winning books that I have never read. It was interesting to read this one, thinking about how the world used to be before social media and 9/11 and everything that we live with these days. It was a sweet, nostalgic kind of a read: who hasn't wished they could go live in a museum, and solve a mystery and have a secret, and be different from who we are.
Her Dark Curiosity
checked this out as a library book. started it, but it didn't grab me, so i decided not to finish.
The Dream Thieves
I reread The Raven Boys last week in anticipation of reading this one, and there were so many details that I know I missed the first time around: I'm so glad I reread. I very nearly turned to the beginning of THIS book as soon as I was finished, because I was gulping, and I am positive that I missed quite a bit of the heartbreaking awesomeness. There is so much to love here, the writing is fantastic, the characters are all very compelling, and the plot: I'm getting pretty good and guessing what's going to happen next, but not here, not at all. I'm blown away by the creativity and the twists and turns. Can't wait for the next installment!
Ten
I wen through a huge Agatha Christie phase (at one time I was part of a book club, I got a ton of her books in fancy leather covers...). I was hesitant to read this, based on some of the reviews I had seen, but when the e-book was on sale I decided to give it a try.It was...OK. It was a very quick read, in part because I started to skim some of the really overblown angsty teenage stuff.
I thought the update to the original story was interesting, but at the same time, a teenager did all of that elaborate planning? Really?
It wasn't terrible, it just wasn't great.
I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You
Another cheap (or free? I can't remember) e-book, a little bit silly, but fun. I mean, honestly, who hasn't wished they could go to a secret special boarding school, or that they could learn to be a spy and do cool spy things?The library has others in this series and by this author and I may have to check them out eventually, just for something light and fun.
Soul Music, Collector's Edition
This was not my favorite disc world book. I let it sit unlistened to for long spans of time, though, which might have been the problem... I had trouble keeping track of what was going on. There were a lot of funny references to modern music culture (well, not recent stuff, but within the last 40 years or so, and I'm old enough to have caught most of it.) Whenever I read Pratchett, I'm struck by how ridiculously clever he is, and how un-clever I really am.
Beholding Bee
What a sweet book. I'm so glad a friend let me borrow this so I could read it. I like it when books that have important messages for kids (and adults...), don't beat you over the head with the message. Books like this one, that assume the reader is intelligent and can think for themselves will be around for a long time.The language was beautiful, the characters were wonderfully written, and it was all quite magical.
Partials
I was just looking through my shelves and surprised to see that this was marked as to-read, since I definitely remember reading it. I've gotten a little tired of the plethora of dystopian novels, that all seem to follow a very obvious and predictable path, but I definitely enjoyed this one, and look forward to reading sequels!
Wool Omnibus (Wool, #1-5)
This was so good. I'm sorry I put off reading this. It will stick with me for awhile as I ponder it.