What are you reading in August 2011?

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What are you reading in August 2011?

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1strandedon8jo
Bewerkt: aug 1, 2011, 9:06 pm

A new thread for a new month.
: )

I've about a third of the way through Forever by Maggie Stiefvater. I'm enjoying it so far despite not being a huge fan of either Grace's or Sam's voice. Cole and Isabel's POVs hold much more interest to me.

2BookLizard
aug 1, 2011, 9:06 pm

I'm reading XVI by Julia Karr. The writing is nowhere near the quality level of the other dystopian novels I've read recently ( Blood Red Road, Divergent Ship Breaker ), but the story is OK.

3ninjafinity
aug 1, 2011, 9:41 pm

I'll probably finish The Rest is Noise tomorrow, and after that I'll be reading After Dark. Not sure what will be coming after that.

4Kwidhalm
Bewerkt: aug 16, 2011, 1:10 pm

I am reading Dead Reckoning and Life As We Knew It simultaneously. So far Life As We Knew It is the better of the two books and makes my gym workout bearable. :)

5BookLizard
aug 2, 2011, 8:33 pm

Just started listening to The City of Ember in the car. Not sure what I'll read next - I have Life as We Knew It and Die For Me, but I'm in the mood for something different. Might try Against All Odds by Scott Brown, although a book by a Congressman might not be so different from the dystopian novels I've been reading! LOL.

6jmeyers
aug 3, 2011, 9:36 am

I have a pile of books from the library next to my bed:

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Hold Still by Nina LaCour
Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
Savvy by Ingrid Law
Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
Blackbringer by Laini Taylor
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

7sandyg210
aug 3, 2011, 10:28 am

I just started Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade

8Theamwriter
aug 3, 2011, 6:05 pm

9cammykitty
aug 3, 2011, 10:47 pm

It isn't really YA, but I'm reading Latin American Folktales.

11jmeyers
Bewerkt: aug 4, 2011, 10:10 am

#8, I believe we are well matched. ;-)

Of course, last night I just added 7 more books to read on my brand-spanking-new Kindle. Checking out some Indies I've wanted to read for a while. Bought the Kindle to be able to do that in a more cost-effective way. Though I am, and always will be, devoted to paper books (and have the loaded bookshelves to prove it). In fact, I'm going to pick up one of those library books now.

Happy reading!

12Theamwriter
aug 4, 2011, 6:10 pm

#11 - Wow sounds like you will be reading tons, same here. I bought a few more books to fill up my bookshelf. So I'll be busy reading and review blogging.

Happy Reading!

13SaraHope
aug 5, 2011, 11:12 am

My library pile is stacked high with YA as well:

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
Gentlemen by Michael Northrop
Libyrinth by Pearl North
Alanna by Tamora Pierce (I've never read any Pierce before, and her books seem to be highly thought of and frequently recommended, so I thought I'd better jump on that bandwagon)

And probably more to come!

14bluehooloovo
aug 5, 2011, 11:18 am

SaraHope: Tamora Pierce's books are great, and it helps to start at the beginning, but if you don't like Alanna, try not to be too put off. She's really gotten loads better as a writer as she settled into her craft.

15SaraHope
aug 5, 2011, 12:04 pm

#14 Ah, ok, I'll keep that in mind. I do tend to be tolerant in those regards, as style and skill can change and mature over time.

16CurrerBell
aug 5, 2011, 12:50 pm

I'm not sure this is YA, but it could be for more mature readers: The Book of Lost Things.

17UnrulySun
aug 5, 2011, 7:56 pm

I loved The Book of Lost Things! It is a bit dark/mature but I could see older boys really enjoying it.

I'm reading Changeless right now. Definitely not YA (erk!) but a lot of fun.

18CurrerBell
aug 5, 2011, 8:13 pm

Having just finished The Book of Lost Things, I'm going to start in on The Red Pyramid. I'm not sure I'm going to like it as much as the "Percy Jackson" series, where I get a real kick out of Clarisse LaRue, but we'll see.

19Storeetllr
aug 5, 2011, 11:38 pm

Hi, just joined this group and am looking forward to getting to learn about more good YA.

I'm currently listening to Rebel Angels by Libba Bray and reading The Brothers of Gwynedd by Edith Pargeter (who wrote the Brother Cafael mysteries under a pseudonym) on the Kindle, while the print book that I read before going to sleep is Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts. I'm excited because I just picked up the audio of Behemoth, which I read in print a few months ago. I figure I'll put it on my iPod to listen to before Goliath comes out in Sept.

20SusieBookworm
aug 7, 2011, 12:19 pm

I'm reading Ready Player One by Ernest Cline; I started out thinking of it as an adult book, but the more I read it, the more the author's writing seems YA.

21Kwidhalm
Bewerkt: aug 16, 2011, 1:11 pm

I just finished Dead Reckoning and I am now starting A Discovery of Witches. I have another book waiting for me at the library so I need to make a dent quickly. :)

22hyenaboy
aug 8, 2011, 1:00 am

I read Beauty Queens by Libba Bray and I Am J by Cris Beam last weekend. I have plenty of books on my to-read list, but not sure what's next... hm.

23CurrerBell
aug 8, 2011, 5:23 am

#22 >> What did you think of Beauty Queens? I've got it on my Kindle TBR, but I've got so much else to read right now.... I loved the Gemma Doyle trilogy but didn't that much care for Going Bovine.

24strandedon8jo
Bewerkt: aug 8, 2011, 8:19 am

Currer, I was the other way round. I loved Going Bovine but found the Gemma Doyle trilogy to be very average. I've got Beauty Queens waiting in the wings and am hoping to get to it this month.
:)

25Kwidhalm
aug 8, 2011, 9:45 am

I have read the first two Gemma Doyle books and I am stalling to pick up the third book simply because I felt the books were average at best. I have found other books/series that are much more interesting from this forum that it may be 2012 before I finish that series.

26hyenaboy
aug 8, 2011, 12:03 pm

CurrerBell: It's the first book I've read by Libba Bray. I wrote a review of it elsewhere, but overall, I gave it 4/5 stars -- I liked the feminist overtones, the diverse characters, and that it doesn't take itself seriously. It's basically a parody of society today and how utterly ridiculous it can be. It was pretty funny. x3

27SaraHope
aug 8, 2011, 2:40 pm

About halfway through The Adoration of Jenna Fox, which I'm enjoying so far. It's an interesting exploration of identity and what it is, exactly, that makes us who we are.

28Sakerfalcon
aug 8, 2011, 3:39 pm

I loved Adoration of Jenna Fox, I literally could not stop reading until I finished it. As I recall though, there was a plot line she let fizzle away into nothing. But still, an amazing read.

29SaraHope
aug 8, 2011, 4:33 pm

#28 Well there is a sequel due out at the end of August -- perhaps the plot line you're thinking of is continued in that book.

30SusieBookworm
aug 8, 2011, 5:03 pm

I've finished Ready Player One, which my younger brother and I both agree was amazing, and I'm about to start Island's End by Padma Venkatraman. Both these books come out this month.

31jnwelch
aug 8, 2011, 5:13 pm

> Sakerfalcon You've intrigued me about The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Onto the tbr list it goes.

32strandedon8jo
aug 8, 2011, 8:05 pm

Sakerfalcon, I didn't realise there was a sequel. I'll definitely be checking that out.
: )

33jmeyers
aug 8, 2011, 8:09 pm

Oh, The Adoration of Jenna Fox is so good. Such an interesting concept, and well done.

I've already read 4 of the 17 books in my TBR pile. (I don't usually read this much, but I'm taking a break from other tasks, so I'm cramming in as many books as I can before the break is over.) Starting on #5 tonight, which I think will be If I Stay by Gayle Forman. I've heard so many wonderful things about her books. I'm really looking forward to finally reading her.

And now I need to add one more. The Book of Lost Things sounds interesting. I have three boys, and I'm always on the lookout for books they'll someday enjoy reading (my oldest is 9).

(Just finished Blackbringer by Laini Taylor last night. LOVED it. Oh, boy, did I love it. I just requested the sequel from the library. Can't wait! I think I shall be buying these for my own, too.)

34Kwidhalm
aug 8, 2011, 11:14 pm

I also started The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer which is the second book in the series and is making my hour on the elliptical FLY by! :)

35weener
aug 8, 2011, 11:35 pm

Currently readding I Am J, which is about a transgender FTM teen.

Next on the list is Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma.

36Sakerfalcon
aug 9, 2011, 8:10 am

>32 strandedon8jo:: It's news to me too, having just checked this thread! It seemed to me that, other than that one thread I mentioned, the book was basically complete, so a sequel is a happy surprise!

37SaraHope
aug 9, 2011, 9:35 am

Indeed, The Fox Inheritance releases August 30, set 260 years after the first book.

http://www.amazon.com/Fox-Inheritance-Jenna-Chronicles/dp/0805088296/ref=sr_1_1?...

I finished The Adoration of Jenna Fox yesterday and have now moved onto The Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale. I'm very much enjoying Dashti's voice.

38Cyrusthegreat
aug 9, 2011, 12:47 pm

I am reading A Walk to Remember right now by Nicholas Sparks it is good but not great... I am actually on the lookout for a good book to read.. I did write down some of the ones suggested... although it seems to be that I enjoy books that are not mentioned often as my two favorite books are A World without Heroes by brandon mull and Happenstance found by P.W. Catanese. So if you know any books that go along with genre type I would love to hear them. I never got into Teen romance novels or the vampire books. I have really enjoyed Eragon although it has had some dry points but I am excited for the new one to come out. The red pyramid was lacking I thought but still an ok read. I have the hunger games but havnt gotten myself hyped up enough to read it. Oh I also loved rangers apprentice although I do think he needs to stop as book 10 was just a repeat of the same story in a different country. I just havnt been able to lately find that book that you sit down and just dont want to stop reading cause its so good. I have just been casually reading..couple pages here couple there... i have read a couple pages of The Naming Pellinor series but havnt picked it back up. Has anyone else read them? well yeah If I find a book that i find intoxicating I will put it up.

39ninjafinity
aug 10, 2011, 12:30 am

I'm reading A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, which I've been enjoying more than I thought I would.

40amz310783
aug 10, 2011, 4:40 am

I've just finished Wither and I loved it.

41jnwelch
aug 10, 2011, 8:48 am

>38 Cyrusthegreat: Cyrusthegreat. The Hunger Games is a book that you sit down with and can't stop reading because it's so good. It's worth your giving a try.

42Sakerfalcon
aug 10, 2011, 10:47 am

I've just got Guardian of the gate, Chime and The clockwork angel from the library. So those will be my next YA reads.

43foggidawn
aug 10, 2011, 12:39 pm

#38 -- Based on the books you like, I'd recommend The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima, and possibly her Heir series as well. You might also look at the Bartimaeus Trilogy (starting with The Amulet of Samarkand), and The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner. Also, have you read the Artemis Fowl series? It's a little different from the books you mention, but it might be worth a look.

44michellejoy07
aug 10, 2011, 3:57 pm

It is a more dark than the others, XVI as well as Across the Universe are both Dystopian Novels that more adult in the content. Have you read the Uglies series by Scott Westerfield?

45michellejoy07
aug 10, 2011, 3:59 pm

I love the life as we knew it series! Can't wait for the next, I have recommended it to such a variety of customers at Borders, every single one of them came back wanting the next.

46michellejoy07
aug 10, 2011, 4:00 pm

@ Cyrusthegreat . You must read the Hunger games. I have yet to find someone that has not enjoyed it.

47susieimage
aug 10, 2011, 10:40 pm

I didn't like The Hunger Games at all. I didn't like the idea of teens hunting each other down and killing each other. Fighting any kind of animal or monster is OK but each other, NO! So it's one of the most disappointing YA books I have ever read. A most disgusting read.

48UnrulySun
aug 10, 2011, 11:34 pm

Well to be fair the whole concept of The Hunger Games is how abhorrent that idea is, how twisted a society must be to delight in watching it, and Katniss's struggle to change this aspect of her world.

I can see how the idea of children hunting each other is disturbing but I thought the story was told well.

49Sakerfalcon
aug 11, 2011, 5:54 am

>29 SaraHope:: Just seen the synopsis for the Jenna Fox sequel - as it is set 200 years after, I don't think my stray plotline will be picked up. It was a character who seemed as though he was being built up to be significant, but then got dropped. I think he will be dead before whatever events take place in the sequel! Still, I'm looking forward to it.

50SaraHope
aug 12, 2011, 8:49 am

#49 I think I know who you mean. My takeaway was just that he was meant to serve as a contrast to Jenna, to make the reader ponder what it is that actually makes someone human.

This morning started Pearl North;s Libyrinth, in which a group of evil people are destroying books! The horror . . . the horror!

51Sakerfalcon
aug 12, 2011, 9:10 am

>50 SaraHope:: Yes, it didn't spoil the book for me, it was just something I wondered about. I was disappointed by Libyrinth - will be interested to see what you think of it!

52JRlibrary
Bewerkt: aug 13, 2011, 1:58 am

Just finished reading A Change of Heart by Shari Maurer. Nothing exceptional about it, just another story about a girl who is going to die without a heart transplant. The author is married to a cardiologist however.
The nicest thing about the book was the quality of the paper on which it was printed. Hardcover felt amazing... I noticed it every single time I picked the book up and opened it; a real pleasure.

53SaraHope
aug 13, 2011, 12:06 pm

#51 I agree with you about Libyrinth, and I think it's a combination of the fact that it just wasn't the book that I thought it would be (which is not the book's fault), and that I just didn't really enjoy the book that it was. I think it was an interesting idea that didn't quite play out in a satisfying, fully fleshed-out, or entirely believable way. I'm definitely not interested enough to read the sequel. Oh well, onto the next book! I think I'm a little burned out on YA so may pick up some non-fiction or an adult novel.

54CurrerBell
aug 13, 2011, 10:31 pm

Just finished Among the Hidden. Good enough, but I'm not sure I want to devote the time right now to six more books to complete the series, although Among the Hidden wasn't a very long book (only about 1500 positions on my Kindle).

Right now I'm back at non-YA to finish off Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel (1862) of coastal Maine, The Pearl of Orr's Island, which significantly influenced Sarah Orne Jewett.

Rather than go on with Haddix's "Shadow Children" series right now, I'm probably going to get back to YA with One Crazy Summer, which I've had TBR for a bit now, and also to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry which I've had TBR for even longer.

I know Roll of Thunder is the first in a series, but I have the impression that it can be read stand-alone? Am I right? Because I am in a project this summer for reading a good bit of Maine fiction, not just Jewett but also Mary Ellen Chase and Carolyn Chute (of whom I've only read The Beans of Egypt, Maine, and that was a while ago so I'm in for a re-read to check out the "revised" edition) and Elizabeth Strout as well as a couple of short story anthologies. And I do want to get on to L.M. Montgomery's later novels in the "Anne of Green Gables" series, where I've so far only read the first two. I'm not sure I want to get myself involved with another extensive series at this moment if Roll of Thunder is a cliff-hanger.

55BookLizard
aug 13, 2011, 11:24 pm

53> Be careful with that nonfiction . . . I thought I needed a break after reading 5 books in a week (4 YA, one romance, not counting the YA audiobook and the picture book I also "read"). That was August 2nd, and I'm STILL trying to finish the nonfiction title - which only has 300 pages!

56SaraHope
aug 14, 2011, 10:40 am

#55 Ha, I'll try not to get mired down in the non-fiction. It's a pretty readable memoir, nothing heavy, so I think I should finish it quickly.

57pwaites
aug 14, 2011, 10:58 am

>47 susieimage: The Hunger Games could have been written much more graphic than it was. The whole idea of the book is violent, but it wasn't written to be extremely violent.

58annamorphic
aug 14, 2011, 3:31 pm

I just finished Once was Lost by Sara Zarr. She is an extremely good writer. I thought that the plotline of this book was less unusual than Sweethearts but the writing was just wonderful.
Before that I read Running on the Cracks. THe author has written some delightful books for younger children, but this one was not as great.

59jmeyers
aug 15, 2011, 10:33 am

>CurrerBell: If you're looking for other good Maine fiction, check out Van Reid and his series that starts with Cordelia Underwood. They are marvelously well written and funny, with some sincerely wacky characters. Not YA, but fabulous reads.

>Sakerfalcon: Chime is one of the most beautifully written books I've read. I borrowed it from the library and it's now on my to-buy list.

Just finished the two Gayle Forman books If I Stay and Where She Went. They totally made me cry. I started Ship Breaker but opted out a few chapters in because it was too dark for me at the moment. Just not something I want to be reading right now. It was well written, so maybe I'll go back to it when I'm in the mood for dark.

I've also read a couple of books in the past week or so that felt as if they just put a bunch of stuff in the middle to draw it out before they got back to the "real" story at the end. So I ended up just skipping all the middle stuff. I've never done that before, and I don't know if it's just me--maybe I'm too impatient to know what happens and don't want to be distracted by the other stuff?--or if the authors are just putting in distractors rather than keeping the plot moving forward in every chapter. It feels like the latter to me, because I'm not doing it with every book. The books were Savvy and The Last Little Blue Envelope (and honestly, I skipped a huge section in 13 Little Blue Envelopes as well for the same reason--it just seemed like filler rather than spurring on the plot.) Did anyone else find that with these books?

60sandyg210
aug 15, 2011, 11:43 am

I just finished The Girl in the Steel Corset wich I really enjoyed.

61CurrerBell
aug 15, 2011, 12:43 pm

59>> Thanks! I just ordered a copy from AbeBooks. Author-inscribed hard cover and no more expensive than less nice copies from Amazon (which owns Abe now anyway).

62jmeyers
aug 15, 2011, 1:04 pm

>CurrerBell: You're welcome! Let me know what you think. :-)

63Cailiosa
aug 15, 2011, 1:35 pm

>Sakerfalcon: I'll just reitterate what jmeyers has said about Chime. Without a doubt it's been my favorite book I've read this year (I've read it four times since May and I finally broke down and bought my own copy). Briony and Eldric have joined the very elite list of my favorite characters of all time. I really hope you enjoy it.

I borrowed Markus Zusak's Getting the Girl from the library over the weekend and ended up reading it two times back-to-back. It was one of those wonderful books that start out breaking your heart , but give you such hope by the end. I also loved the dynamic of the Wolfe siblings -- yes, they certainly knew how to tear each other down, but they also built each other back up again. I always get jealous when I read about strong sibling relationships in books, because that's something I really don't have with my sisters (and at this point in time, I really don't know how to change, though I wish I could).

I also read Maggie Stiefvater's Forever last night and I really quite enjoyed it. I wasn't sure what to expect, since I confess I flipped through a good chunk of Linger, the second book in the trilogy, just to get to the end (though I remember really liking Shiver. I might just have to go back and give Linger a proper reading once I've finished with my latest batch of library loot. The one complaint I have about Forever is that it seemed to change character point of views on a whim, so sometimes I'd have to go back to the beginning of the section just to confirm which character I was following around. It didn't quite get to the point where it was like those really bad fan-fiction stories (you know, the ridiculous kind where you hear from about fifty different characters, including the family dog), but it did get close sometimes.

It's been a little while, but recently I read and enjoyed Jasper Jones, from newbie Australian author Craig Silvey. I thought it struck a nice balance between tackling a serious business plotline and the goofiness and sometimes immaturity that fourteen year old boys demonstrate (and it pretty much confirmed that I have the disgusting sense of humor of a teenage boy, which I've suspected for some time now).

64Lcanon
aug 15, 2011, 5:31 pm

I just finished Chime and found that the style wore on me after awhile. That's probably just me, though. I'd definitely recommend it.
I also recently finished Ruby Red which is OK if you like series books. Personally, I prefer books -- even series books -- to have a beginning middle and end. Ruby Red is not a whole book, it's the first third of one.
I was also kind of disappointed with Fallen Grace. A lot of Victorian detail, especially about the mourning industry, but the main character was kind of passive and the characters felt remote to me.
However I rounded everything out nicely with two books by Susanne Dunlap - The Musician's Daughter and In the Shadow of the Lamp -- historical novels which are a little unusual in their settings. The main character in Lamp had all the spirit that Grace lacked.

65SaraHope
aug 15, 2011, 8:41 pm

Have started Gentlemen by Michael Northrop, in which a trio of teenage boys come to suspect their English teacher of being behind the mysterious disappearance of their friend.

66michellejoy07
aug 15, 2011, 10:48 pm

I am finishing up blood red road, then picking up darkness becomes her in between during small breaks I am re reading a favorite series, Dark Hunters By Sherrilyn Kenyon, this is NOT a Young adult series but a Paranormal Romance series, However she did branch off from the series to young adult and wrote the chronicles of nick and Invincible, both great reads, though very different from her main series, zombies, vampires, greek and olympian Gods. gotta love it

67jnwelch
aug 16, 2011, 10:06 am

With two 14 year old girl protagonists, In Zanesville by Jo Ann Beard reads so far like a YA, but some of the content already seems adult instead. It was shelved at the bookstore in regular fiction, not YA,. We'll see.

68Kwidhalm
aug 16, 2011, 1:12 pm

Blood Red Road is next on my list. I only have about 60 pages left in my current read and then I can start it! Yay!

69SusieBookworm
aug 16, 2011, 5:08 pm

#63: YES! Someone else who enjoyed Jasper Jones! I won a copy through Random Buzzers several months ago, but you're the first person I've run into who's read, much less heard of, it. It turned out to be one of my favorite reads so far this year, mostly because of the same reasons you mentioned.

70cammykitty
aug 16, 2011, 8:21 pm

#54 CurrerBell Yes, Roll of Thunder can be read as a stand-alone. I believe it was written as a single book, but the author/readers enjoyed the characters so much that the other books followed.

I finished reading J-Boys: Kazuo's World, Tokyo, 1965. It had a lot of great details about what it was like to grow up in Japan, but ultimately, it didn't do it for me. I'm surprised by my reason why, though. Lack of structure. That doesn't sound like a reason I would come up with. My review is here: http://www.librarything.com/work/11421659

71Sakerfalcon
Bewerkt: aug 17, 2011, 10:46 am

I'm just starting Chime - thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts regarding it. It was a review by Robin McKinley that first made me notice the book; she loved it.

72Cailiosa
aug 17, 2011, 12:37 pm

>SusieBookworm: I'm so glad to hear that I am not the only one out there who has read and enjoyed Jasper Jones! Every time I visit the library I like to troll the new books shelf in the teen section and there it was tucked in among the overabundance of vampire/angel/whatever other paranormal character books, beckoning me with its awesome cover and intriguing jacket blurb. I'm very happy that whomever is in charge of ordering the YA books took a chance on this title and that I did as well.

73kat_nap48
aug 17, 2011, 1:06 pm

I'm about to start Divergent. I hope it's as good as I've been told!

74SusieBookworm
aug 17, 2011, 4:56 pm

I'm reading J-Boys from Early Reviewers, too.

75cammykitty
aug 17, 2011, 10:21 pm

Susie, I'll be interested to see what you think. The other review posted so far sounds almost the same as mine. It almost surprises me when reviews come up so similar.

76jnwelch
aug 18, 2011, 3:50 pm

In Zanesville was a bit of a disappointment, maybe because my expectations were too high.

But so far I'm really enjoying The Adoration of Jenna Fox.

77SusieBookworm
aug 18, 2011, 4:56 pm

cammykitty: So far, my review will probably turn out to be much the same. Though "Kazuo's Typical Tokyo Saturday" was pretty good.

78dearGREENeyes
Bewerkt: aug 18, 2011, 5:50 pm

All my books have been let-downs so far. So much I've had to force myself to read themD:
I'm going to start City of Ashes (even though it's not the first book, they didn't have the first one at the library). Crossing my fingers that this one is FINALLY worth my time

79CurrerBell
aug 18, 2011, 7:08 pm

Just finished Beauty Queens, which is positively hilarious, though this one may be a love-it-or-hate-it. I'll give it four-and-a-half stars, knocking it down just a little for its slightly cutesy ending. (I'm a big fan of the "Gemma Doyle" trilogy, but I didn't at all care for Bray's Going Bovine.)

80SusieBookworm
aug 18, 2011, 7:55 pm

CurrerBell: I think Going Bovine is a love-it-or-hate-it book, too. My brother and I both loved it because of the randomness, surreality, and teenage humor, but these same aspects are what many others would hate.

81CurrerBell
aug 18, 2011, 9:23 pm

80>> Another problem with Going Bovine is my really sketchy knowledge of Don Quixote. Not complete ignorance, mind you, but I'm still really sketchy. On the other hand, I definitely know books like Lord of the Flies and Heart of Darkness that form a basis for Beauty Queens.

82cammykitty
aug 18, 2011, 11:39 pm

77 Yes, it definitely had its laugh out loud moments, and a lot of interesting details. But, on the whole, it didn't work as short stories for me. That's part of why I say it's a good book for read alouds. You can pick what you think your group of kids will connect with, and skip the rest.

83Sakerfalcon
aug 19, 2011, 5:08 am

Finished Chime, which was just as good a read as people said. The only thing was that I figured out most of the twists by halfway through the book, and was then impatient with Briony for being so slow to see the truth. But I guess she had been deluded for so many years that it was hard to break out of that way of thinking. Loved the images at the end of her treading new thought-paths. Great narrative voice too; I know some people found it distant but it seemed to me to be appropriate for the old-fashioned setting of the book. Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to read it!

84Cailiosa
aug 19, 2011, 10:13 am

>Sakerfalcon: If I recall correctly, I figured out the twists early on as well during my first reading. I think, though, that the mystery aspect wasn't necessarily the focus of the book -- rather, it was Briony's acceptance of the truth and being able to heal with the willing assistance of those who love her. I'm so glad that you enjoyed Chime!

Count me as one of those who could not stand Going Bovine for exactly the reasons you've suggested. It probably didn't help that I had to read it for a class. I don't really enjoy being forced to read something, which is probably why I'll never join a book club. The only thing that made the experience of reading this book palatable was listening to the audio version. I forget who narrated it, but his voice was perfect for all of the roles (though he sounded a bit wonky doing the few female characters).

85cammykitty
aug 19, 2011, 11:07 pm

84 Going Bovine for a class? What kind of class? Did they chose it because it was a recent Printz award winner? & wonky female characters suits that book perfectly.

86BookLizard
aug 20, 2011, 2:34 pm

Finished Life As We Knew It. It was OK, but didn't love it.

87Rajapi
aug 20, 2011, 3:26 pm

Hi! Am new here and loving this discussion about books! Thank you.
Am reading Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. It's pretty good!
Just finished reading Six Weeks To Yehidah by a new author called Melissa Studdard. I really enjoyed the book. It's her debut venture and she has created a magical story about a young girl and her adventures. It's a dazzling read! I plan on reading it again soon! Some books are like that for me. If I like it I'll read it over and over. Like Harry Potter!
I am looking forward to being here and chatting away about my favorite topic- books!!!!

88SusieBookworm
aug 20, 2011, 3:38 pm

I've just started All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin. I reached page 75 pretty quickly, but I'm not that impressed so far.

89jnwelch
aug 20, 2011, 4:07 pm

I liked her Elsewhere a lot, but haven't read anything else by her.

90CurrerBell
aug 20, 2011, 5:35 pm

More children's that YA, but I just finished The Shadows (The Books of Elsewhere, Vol. 1). Nothing terribly original about it, but I give it three stars for Olive's combination of klutz and spunk.

91BookBreather
aug 20, 2011, 9:59 pm

My long list:

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
bloodlines by Richelle Mead (sooo exciteeeddd!!!!)
defiance by Lili St. Crow
If I stay by Gayle Forman
where she went by Gayle Forman
Evernight by Claudia Gray
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
the final warning by James Patterson
The gift by James Patterson

And probably more! :)

92UnrulySun
aug 20, 2011, 10:34 pm

Welcome, Rajapi!
I've been reading adult novels recently, and I'm missing the ease and fast pace of YA. I can't wait to finish the book I'm on now (Absurdistan) which is good but slow-going, so I can get back to some fun stuff. :o)

93BookLizard
aug 21, 2011, 12:35 am

Finished Glass Houses by Rachel Caine and read Die for Me by Amy Plum. As much as I HATE cliffhanger endings, they are effective. I'll be picking up the next book in the Morganville Vampires series from the library on Monday. Die for Me was a good paranormal romance. It's the first of a trilogy. It will be interesting to see where the author goes in the next book - if she follows the same 2 characters or focuses on some of the secondary characters.

94Cailiosa
aug 21, 2011, 12:30 pm

>cammykitty: It was a young adult literature course that I took for my MLIS. Our instructor decided on a theme for the required reading each week and pretty much all of the books we had to read were that year's award winners. Some of them were great, like The Monstrumologist and The Knife of Never Letting Go were great, others, like Going Bovine I just had to grit my teeth and get through as best I could.

95pwaites
aug 21, 2011, 8:28 pm

I loved The Monstrumologist! Did you know there was a sequel? I'm hoping for a third book as well, but have yet to hear of one.

96CurrerBell
aug 21, 2011, 8:46 pm

Just finished Spellbound: The Book of Elsewhere, the just-published second in the series. Some new characters are introduced, and it's got a little more twist to it than the first in the series.

97jnwelch
aug 21, 2011, 9:54 pm

The last, I guess, Ranger's Apprentice book, The Emperor of Nihon-Ja. Enjoying it so far. I hope it's not really the last.

98mimosa.stimulus
aug 21, 2011, 11:29 pm

It's the last one, but there is going to be a book of short stories: Ranger's Apprentice: The Lost Stories and a new series that will feature some Skandian boys Brotherband Chronicles: The Outcasts. I'm hoping for some character cameos.

99cammykitty
aug 22, 2011, 12:00 am

Caliosa> Interesting. So your instructor was going for current trends. Most of the ala picks I like, but once in awhile you did hit something that just doesn't connect. I enjoyed The Monstrumologist too, but I did a sample reading of it with a summer school class. The language used was beyond them, but I loved the deliberately dated writing style.

100Cailiosa
aug 22, 2011, 8:46 am

>pwaites: Yes, I loved The Curse of the Wendigo! There is a third book (and there will be a fourth as well from what I've heard) called Isle of Blood that is coming out next month.

101Sakerfalcon
aug 22, 2011, 8:50 am

I'm about a quarter of the way into Long may she reign by Ellen Emerson White. I never thought I could be so gripped by a series in which politics is such a big factor. This book is slower paced then the previous three, but I'm enjoying Meg's adventures at college.

102SaraHope
aug 22, 2011, 9:07 am

After a bit of a break from YA, started Forever by Maggie Stiefvater.

103jnwelch
aug 22, 2011, 9:14 am

>98 mimosa.stimulus: mimosa.stimulus Thanks for the good info on the Rangers Apprentice series.

104sandyg210
aug 22, 2011, 10:32 am

I read Supernaturally over the weekend. I didn't liek it quite as much as Paranormalcy

105jmeyers
aug 22, 2011, 1:22 pm

I wasn't a big Paranormalcy fan, though I really wanted to be because I love Kiersten White's blog. She's a hoot. But the main character just didn't come across like a teenager at all, she was definitely more a twenty-something. And that bugged me the entire book.

Right now I am reading Silksinger by Laini Taylor and loving it.

106Theamwriter
aug 22, 2011, 1:49 pm

107curioussquared
aug 22, 2011, 8:34 pm

I started Magician's Ward by Patricia C. Wrede last night and I'm really enjoying it so far. Kim's a great heroine and Wrede is one of my go-to authors so it's a good combination.

108CurrerBell
aug 23, 2011, 5:00 pm

Just finished the Barry & Pearson The Bridge to Never Land, fifth in the "Starchasers" series. The previous books were decent -- each a three-star, I'd say -- but I'd give this new one four stars for cleverness. In something of a metafictional approach, it's set in the current day and two teenagers, Sarah and Aidan, have to solve a quest aided in part by their reading of the four prior "Starchasers" novels.

109UnrulySun
aug 23, 2011, 5:38 pm

I just read The Compound by SA Bodeen... Very quick read (couple of hours) and very sparse plotline, but enjoyable nonetheless. It would have been MUCH better with a little fleshing out. It seemed rushed and the characters' reactions and emotions a bit contrived.

110slanger89
aug 23, 2011, 10:16 pm

I'm almost finished with Darke by Angie Sage. I still really like this series. It's a quick, fun, fluffy read. It's another new plot line which is still enjoyable.

111CurrerBell
aug 24, 2011, 11:40 pm

Just finished The Gates: Samuel Johnson vs. the Devil (1). Quirky humor with its use of footnotes, and I particularly laugh at the demon Nurd.

110>> I just started Darke and I'm about a fifth of the way through as I take a time-out to watch Dave Letterman and then probably get to bed.

I've also got a lot of adult reading to get on to, considering all the books I've bought at clearance for 50% off plus an additional 15% with my Borders Plus. Among other bargains, I've picked up several Library of America editions that I didn't yet have.

112Cyrusthegreat
aug 25, 2011, 10:20 am

I commented back at number 38....I am now reading Bride Farewell...it is interesting...not a book I would call amazing though...but I guess I should wait till I get to the end. Thank you for the suggestions..I have a whole big list now that I have to either buy or get from the library. I have also decided to reread the fablehaven series as I have never read the keys to the demon prison but had read the rest but i am about 80 pages in and have realized that I am really missing a bunch of information that I have forgetten.

113Kwidhalm
aug 25, 2011, 3:05 pm

I am about 60% finished with Blood Red Road and I am really enjoying it. Just picked up Linger from the library so it should be a good reading weekend what with the hurricane and all. :)

114Lcanon
aug 25, 2011, 6:45 pm

I saw The Curse of the Wendigo in the library recently but I passed it up...just wasn't in a monster mood. Now I've heard several good things about the series and would like to read it. Here's betting that I won't be able to get it in the library now!

115jnwelch
aug 27, 2011, 12:31 pm

I don't think I posted this yet. The last volume in The Ranger's Apprentice series was as good as its predecessors, with some story arcs getting closure. Still seems like there's plenty of room for more adventures, so we'll see how "last" this last volume is.

I'm now reading Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus, and liking it.

116CurrerBell
Bewerkt: aug 28, 2011, 1:34 am

Just finished Darke, the sixth Septimus Heap book. Rate it four stars.

ETA: And I think for YA I'll at last get started now on One Crazy Summer. I've got a couple adult books I'm reading right now on Kindle, Fool's War and O Pioneers.

117cammykitty
aug 28, 2011, 3:27 am

116> Thanks for mentioning One Crazy Summer. I'm putting together my 12 12 challenge, and in February I try to read all African American authors. That would be the perfect book for then.

118CurrerBell
Bewerkt: aug 28, 2011, 4:18 am

117>> And another on my TBR list: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

ETA: And cammykitty, you might also be interested in Zora and Me, which I've already read but regarding which I have some mixed feelings, so you might want to see my rather lengthy review of it on its LT page.

119cammykitty
aug 28, 2011, 4:59 am

I love love love Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry. Interesting review on Zora and Me. You are right, young readers will have no idea who she is and not many, if any, of Zora's books are appropriate for a young audience. I read Seraph on the Suwanee last year, and to boil down the plot to a ridiculous point - it was about a woman who has always let her husband do things for her, coming into her own. Such a subtle plot, and one that only someone who is at least in their mid-twenties could appreciate. I should put Dust Tracks on a Road on my reading list, and certainly the setting and historical time period of Zora and Me may be enough to carry the interest of a young reader. Thanks for the suggestion.

120Kwidhalm
aug 28, 2011, 9:39 am

Just finished Blood Red Road and I loved it! Started Linger as soon as I finished the other one but was too tired to put a dent in it last night. Picking it up now to read as Irene makes New England. :)

Hope all in the path of Irene are safe. Happy reading!

Kate :)

121dustincraigneal
aug 28, 2011, 8:03 pm

I'm finally about to start Hunger Games when I finish my Steinbeck-fest.

122cammykitty
aug 28, 2011, 11:13 pm

I'll be starting Paula Fox's memoir Borrowed Finery soon. I don't know if the memoir is YA, but she has written many YA & MG novels.

123Lcanon
aug 29, 2011, 7:04 pm

Borrowed Finery is excellent. It's one of those memoirs I read years ago which has always stayed with me. I was just flabbergasted that they left her for 8 years with a man they hardly knew...a bachelor at that, figuring he'd give her a better home. (And he did.)

124cammykitty
aug 29, 2011, 10:58 pm

123 I'm not very far into it, but yes! I'm absolutely amazed at how she was just handed around like a puppy. Poor thing!

125Sakerfalcon
aug 30, 2011, 8:13 am

Just starting Guardian of the gate, so that I can get it back to the library on time.

126slanger89
aug 30, 2011, 6:59 pm

I just started Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia yesterday and I'm really enjoying it. It is fast paced and unique. I was afraid it would be a typical teen fantasy novel, but I haven't been able to guess the ending yet so, so far so good. Hopefully the rest of the series is as good as this one is turning out to be.

127BookLizard
aug 30, 2011, 7:01 pm

Listening to Matched on CD. I'm not loving it. I wonder if it's just the format.

Read The Thief this weekend and started Queen of Attolia last night. Will most likely finish that tonight and start on the next in the series.

128UnrulySun
aug 30, 2011, 7:08 pm

I just finished Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan. This work has many pros and cons to debate (and I see it gets strong reactions in review forums) but overall I really loved this book. It could have used a slightly stronger editing hand, but that said, it's not often I stumble across such a beautiful, lyrical piece of fiction. The author is a true wordsmith: her language is archaic yet completely accessible, without time or place, and yet totally familiar. It's easy to just go with the made-up vocabulary and phonetic phrase-smashing, and lose yourself in the music of the words. :o)

I do feel it should be categorized in teen or adult fiction, not young adult. It is quite graphic, and the material disturbing. I'm no prude but I probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone under the age of about 15.

I am SO EXCITED to have received my brand spankin' new copy of Colin Meloy's Wildwood. I am going to read my ER book next but I'm aching to dig into Wildwood. It's a hefty tome for a YA title-- 540 pages and heavy-- and it's made so beautifully I am reluctant to crack it open lest I spoil the perfection! But it's already calling to me. I certainly hope it lives up to my expectations. :o)

129foggidawn
aug 30, 2011, 8:20 pm

#128 -- "Young adult" is the library and publishing term for "teen" -- there's no distinction between the two terms, so I'm not following when you say it should be "categorized in teen or adult fiction, not young adult." Do you mean it should be in adult, not teen/YA? I haven't read the book myself, but I have heard that there is some graphic and disturbing content, as you say.

130UnrulySun
aug 30, 2011, 8:52 pm

I realize that "young adult fiction" is a broad term for anything geared to adolescents, but I am thinking of what I see in retail settings, and there are usually separate sections for juvenile, middle grade, young adult, and teens. I think of YA as being geared to ages 10-14 or so, whereas Teen would be highschool and up.

131foggidawn
aug 30, 2011, 9:13 pm

I've never seen it like that, but perhaps you are in a different area from the places I've been. At any rate, I see what you mean now.

132bluemeanie11
aug 30, 2011, 10:27 pm

I've read A Great and Terrible Beauty, which was somehow underwhelming though I had wanted to like it. Maybe when/if I read the rest of the trilogy, it will seem better, knowing the full story.

I also read The Bridge to Never Land, which I liked. But I would have liked a new adventure with Peter and Molly better.

133cammykitty
aug 31, 2011, 1:44 am

Somebody told me that Margo Lanagan is published in the US partly because the publishing industry does things differently in Australia. Apparently their "YA" refers to an older range than ours. ??? In the US, I've heard many people say she should be classified as adult. I agree. Her writing style reminds me of Shirley Jackson. Many teens read Shirley Jackson, but you wouldn't hand any 12 year old her work.

I finished Borrowed Finery and enjoyed it, but didn't love it. It is by a YA author, but it is a memoir for adults. I finally figured out what was bothering me. She wrote this with such an over-arching adult perspective that many of the events lost immediacy and the emotional aspect of what happened to her was toned down. It's like reading a cozy mystery. Horrible things might happen, but you know the protag won't be hurt too much.

134BookLizard
aug 31, 2011, 2:07 am

130> Maybe you're thinking of Young Readers instead of Young Adult? In LibraryLand, YA is ages 12-18. In the real world, young adults are adults who are young, like college age to 25 or so.

In manga ratings, Y is for Youth and that's like ages 10+, then T for Teen 13+ and OT for Older Teen 16+.

135jothom
aug 31, 2011, 6:58 am

I just read Big Girl Small by Rachel de Woskin. It was fantastic. It's about Judy, who is a little person, aka a dwarf, and how she is fitting into her new arts academy school. She is a brilliant singer. But some of the boys at the school have a hidden agenda. Judy has a wonderful voice. She is such a wise-cracking smart arse, and really smart. It's a tragi-comic coming of age kind of book. Don't miss it.

136Sakerfalcon
aug 31, 2011, 8:55 am

>126 slanger89:: I loved Beautiful creatures too, especially the Southern small town setting. It was good to read a book like this that had a male narrator. I didn't think Beautiful darkness was as good, but the third book looks like it should be great (fingers crossed). You're right, this series doesn't seem to have got much attention compared to some other YA paranormal stuff out there.

137ljldml
aug 31, 2011, 9:15 am

I'll be reading
The Near Witch
Hades
Beautiful Creatures
Glow
Shiver

138girlfromshangrila
aug 31, 2011, 10:21 am

> 135:

Big Girl Small sounds fantastic! I hadn't thought of it before, but I don't think I've ever read a fiction book with a little person as a main character. It's good to know it's out there. Now the challenge will be getting hold of a copy.

139CurrerBell
aug 31, 2011, 4:06 pm

Just finished One Crazy Summer and highly recommend it. It's got some material on the Panthers and COINTELPRO, but it's really more a coming-of-age story of the eldest sister, eleven-year-old Delphine. There's a really clever twist with something done by the youngest sister, seven-year-old Fern (regarding which no more to avoid SPOILER).

140jlbattis2
sep 1, 2011, 1:48 am

>128 UnrulySun: I'd like to hear what you think of Wildwood. I found it very disappointing and couldn't get more than a few chapters into it....

141Lcanon
sep 1, 2011, 7:08 pm

Wow. Tender Morsels sounds kind of interesting. But I'm not a big fan of rape or violence scenes in fiction -- one of the reasons I never read those Dragon Tattoo books. So often it's the writer (unconsciously perhaps) trying to titillate the reader or piling on scene after scene in a let's-see-how-much-we-can-make-the-character-suffer kind of way. I hate that.

142jothom
sep 2, 2011, 8:19 am

Tender Morsels is not like that. Lanagan had to make her character go through something so appalling to trigger the shift to the alternate world, and to explain why she wouldn't want to go back to the "real" world. I think. It's quite a while since I read it, but definitely not for the faint hearted.

143ranjeet13502
jul 17, 2014, 8:24 pm

hi um can u help me out with a question from this book