Tag: books

Categories
books and reading

Limelight

This is it. The VERY LAST BOOK in the Popsugar Book Challenge. Whew. I’m so glad I did the challenge, as I am every year, but it’s also nice to be finished. The last category I needed to fill was a tough one for me. I needed a book with a fruit or vegetable in the title. I tried a couple (tomato, lemon) but neither book was interesting enough to keep going. So, I search my thousands of titles on my Kindle cloud (yes, really. Thousands. Most of them I got for free) for apple. Nope. Banana. Nothing. Orange. One title, but sounded boring. Lime. Ding, ding.

Judging by the premise and the pretty good reviews, I went ahead and started this one. During the 1880s, Penny Green was a unique woman. She was mid-30s, single, a newspaper reporter, trailblazing her way around town. She learns of the mysterious murder of actress Lizzie Dixie, who was presumed to be dead 5 years ago. She and a police inspector make it their mission to solve the crime. Which time did Lizzie really die? And who was behind it?

This was a quick read, and Penny is a fun character who has to use good old-fashioned thinking to solve the murder. I have several of these books on my Kindle and am looking forward to reading more about this delightful series.

Categories
books and reading

Bridge of Clay

Most book reviews I can type up fairly quickly. I don’t spend a lot of time on them because the words just pour out. But this is a book I have had to spend a lot of time thinking about before I was able to write anything. And there’s no way my limited writing abilities will convey just how powerful and beautiful this book is. Markus Zusak is a master artist, and we are very lucky to be receiving his gifts.

I was given The Book Thief by my school librarian back when I was teaching. Somehow she got a hardback copy when it first came out and thought I would enjoy it. I was intrigued by the premise but didn’t fully realize what a profound book it was until a few chapters in. At that point, I grabbed a pen (I NEVER write in books unless I’m annotating to teach it) and began underlining some of the most beautiful phrases I had ever read, especially in a young adult book. By the end, I was sobbing.  My favorite sentence in literature is toward the end. “They hugged and cried and fell to the floor.” That’s it. Such a simple sentence. But it gutted me. I’ve reread The Book Thief once and loved it just as much. It’s perfect.

I then went back to read his earlier work I Am the Messenger, which is an equally amazing book, but the beautiful language of The Book Thief wasn’t as developed. But, as a story, it is definitely worth reading. When I heard he had a book coming out this fall, of course I was going to read it. After 14 years of The Book Thief being published, I was ready. Bridge of Clay is the best book I’ve read this year. No question. Told from the perspective of the oldest Dunbar brother, Matthew, we learn the story of the Dunbar boys (there are five of them), but especially of Clay. We learn the story of their mother, father, Clay’s big secret (be ready. You will have your heart torn out), Clay’s love for the neighbor girl, and how these boys manage to survive on their own. Zusak tells a gorgeous story, but it’s really his language, phrasing, and simple word choice that blows me away. I spent a few weeks to read this book because I was savoring each moment with it. Bridge of Clay is a masterpiece.

Categories
books and reading

Needful Things

*originally posted 2010 on another site

I’d say I’m a pretty solid Stephen King fan. I’ve read a good chunk of his books, and find The Stand his best by far. Only a few in there that were quite wretched (From a Buick 8, anyone??). But when I went to my well-organized library, I was simply looking for a good story. And Needful Things seemed like a pretty good one at 700 pages long. Granted, it took me a couple months to get through, but I did enjoy it quite a bit.

The poor town of Castle Rock has been the setting of many King stories, and this was an excellent finale for the town. A new store, Needful Things, opens up downtown. It doesn’t seem to have much in stock, but it does seem to have the one thing that your heart desires. For example, young Brian Rusk wants a Sandy Koufax card more than anything in the world. Needful Things happens to have it. And what do you know, the card is even autographed! Mr. Gaunt, the owner of Needful Things, asks for a nominal price, and the card becomes Brian’s. Just one more thing. Brian must play a prank on another person in town. Someone he doesn’t know and probably has never met. Brian is asked to throw mud on a lady’s sheets. Innocent enough, but that’s where it all begins. Mr. Gaunt somehow knows how to pit enemies against each other. When the mud lady sees her ruined sheets, she automatically assumes it was done by her mortal enemy. And of course the enemy has a prank played on her, and she assumes it was done by the mud lady. Craziness ensues.

The characters literally go insane with jealousy, revenge, envy, wrath, and a few of the other deadly sins. Seems like Mr. Gaunt isn’t just a regular guy.

The resolution is quite explosive in a variety of ways, and the reader isn’t disappointed with the insane amount of horrifying acts in this book. It’s a pretty solid effort by King. Good story, good violence, good creativity.

Categories
books and reading

When You Reach Me

*originally posted 2010 on another site

I’m always curious to read current young adult lit, and Amazon recommended this one that came out almost a year ago. So, I had some money on Itunes and ended up buying the app of the book for my phone. And, to be honest, I much prefer the Kindle app than just any random book app. This one was disappointing. That said, the book was awesome.

Miranda and Sal have been BFFs forever until Sal gets punched by a kid, almost cries, then says he doesn’t want to be Miranda’s friend anymore. She’s confused by this but finds other friends, namely the kid who punched Sal, Marcus. Miranda and Marcus have an odd friendship formed over their mutual favorite book, A Wrinkle in Time. Marcus teaches Miranda about hypothetical time-travel, and Miranda tries to understand why Marcus punched Sal. Meanwhile, Miranda’s mother is going to be on $20,000 Pyramid and practices every night. Cleverly, the titles of the chapters are possible Pyramid categories (Things You Pack, etc). Miranda begins getting mysterious notes in her bag, pocket, etc and begins to wonder who is following her, or worse, who knows her deepest secrets. It’s not until the end of the book does everything come together, but it does in a great way.

This isn’t a very long book, and it definitely kept me reading to see how it would all make sense in the end. It wasn’t a disappointment at all. Don’t buy the app for this book, but read it nonetheless.

Categories
books and reading

Same Kind of Different as Me

*originally posted 2010 on another site

I was a little skeptical of this book and for good reason. It’s certainly heartwarming, but that’s just not something I enjoy reading most of the time. The book starts out strong but becomes more and more depressing as it continues. It was to the point that I was reading it just to be finished with it.

The story is told from two narrators: Ron- a wealthy white man in Ft. Worth and Denver- a homeless black man in the same town. They tell their own stories for a bit, and these were my favorite part. I enjoyed learning where they both started their lives. They are very short vignettes, so I could easily use some in the classroom. Ron meets his wife, Debbie, and after several years of marriage, she decides that God has told her to do some good in life. Now, I’m not the religious type, so this book quickly lost its appeal simply because the level of Christianity mentioned. I’d rather hear of people who helped the homeless because they wanted to, rather than because God led them down that path. In any case, the friendship that was formed was meaningful and true. Ron and Denver became reluctant friends, but each found something special within the other.

Halfway through the book, Debbie is diagnosed with cancer. There’s where the fun ends. It went downhill for me at that point. I just don’t enjoy reading about people’s sadness.

I imagine this book is inspirational to a lot of people, which is perfectly understandable. It just isn’t my thing…

Categories
books and reading

The Poisonwood Bible

*originally posted 2010 on another site.

I was a little leery about reading this book. Too many people loved it, and it was an Oprah Book Club selection. I’ve read several of her picks, and ugh, are they awful. She’s gotten better (I actually have two other of her picks on my summer reading list), but most everything she has recommended was something I truly disliked. This book, however, didn’t suck at all! Shocking, I know.

The Price family, consisting of a father, mother, and 4 daughters are missionaries in the Congo during the 1950s. Devout doesn’t even begin to describe the father. The girls are frequently punished by having to write Bible verses over and over. This story is told from the perspective of the girls while they are in Africa, and from the mother after they have left. Rachel is the oldest, snobbiest, and hates Africa. Leah constantly seeks her father’s attention, but never truly receives it, so she is forced to find her own path. Adeh, is Leah’s twin, was born with brain damage, limps, and is brilliant. Ruth May is the youngest and the most inquisitive about her new surroundings.

As much as they want to go to Africa, do their Christian duty, and head back home, Africa simply won’t let them. They experience love and loss, and no matter how hard they try, they cannot leave Africa behind. It stays with them for the rest of their lives.

I usually don’t enjoy books with multiple narrators, but this is an exception. While reading, I kept thinking how great it would be to use as an example of voice in the classroom. As much as I was dreading this book, I quickly breezed through it and did enjoy it quite a bit.

Categories
books and reading

Seabiscuit: An American Legend

I do not like horses. I don’t want to ride one. I don’t want to go see the race. I have no desire to ever be around a horse. And I know absolutely nothing about them. That said, I get the attraction. They are intelligent and beautiful animals. And I have a lot of respect for horses and how they have contributed to our history.

I knew absolutely nothing about Seabiscuit before reading this book. And I could not stop talking about what I learned. This book was absolutely fascinating, and I cannot recommend it highly enough, even if you aren’t a horse person, like me. The story explains how Seabiscuit was purchased, a history of the owners, a history of the jockey and information about jockeys in general from the time period, Seabiscuit’s strengths and weaknesses, all in complete transparency. The author, Laura Hillenbrand, does a great job making this story appeal to all readers.

Fun facts: Seabiscuit never ran the Triple Crown because he was too old by the time he got his act together and was able to race. His biggest competitor, War Admiral, was actually his uncle. More newspaper column space in 1938 was spent on Seabiscuit over FDR, Hitler, or Mussolini. And you really can’t imagine what jockeys do to themselves to maintain a low weight. Ammonia in their soda is just the tip of the iceberg.

I could not believe how much I loved this book and was completely captivated by it. I cannot recommend it highly enough, especially if you aren’t a horse person. You will learn so much.

Categories
books and reading

A Tale for the Time Being

I like to read in the car when I’m waiting to pick my kids up from school. There are no distractions. I don’t have the internet beyond what’s on my phone, but I have most data turned off so I can’t really use any apps. I could be listening to podcasts, but that’s just not engaging enough. So, I keep a book in my car that I only read during pick up. This method works pretty well and gives me a good chunk of time to read because pick up lines are long. I read A Tale for the Time Being in its entirety while sipping tea and eating Belvita biscuits and waiting. And what a fun book it was to read.

Ruth lives in Canada on a remote island filled with interesting people who are the nosy sort. While walking along the beach, she finds a bag of books. One is a diary of a young Japanese girl. The others are related to the diary. The girl, Nao, is miserable. She used to live in the states, but when the technology world crashed with the economic recession, her family was forced to move back to Japan. She was bullied, and her dad was out-of-work. Nao spends the summer with her great-grandmother who is a Buddhist nun and learns her own superpowers. Meanwhile, Ruth is a struggling writer with a brain block she can’t undo. She makes it her mission to find Nao and connect with her.

The stories alternate with each chapter, but I really looked forward to reading Nao’s sections more, especially once she starts to learn about her family’s history. A friend recommended this book to me ages ago, and I see why. It’s one that is tough to read at times (Nao’s dad doesn’t handle unemployment well) and you really empathize with Nao and her struggles to find herself. But I really enjoyed this book.

Categories
books and reading

Baker’s Magic

It’s rare that I read a middle school book that doesn’t drive me nuts. Most of them contain so much teenage slang and silliness that I don’t make it past the first few pages. Absolutely nothing wrong with slang and silliness, but it’s not for me. I listened to Baker’s Magic over the course of a few weeks, so I apologize if the character names aren’t spelled the same in the book, and I was so delighted by this book. The characters are fun, the plot is creative, and it’s totally appropriate for middle school kids (and older, of course) who just want a fun story without a lot of drama and nonsense.

Bee is an orphan girl who steals from a bakery, gets caught, and gets a job. Mr. Bouts, the baker, takes pity on her and offers her an apprenticeship in his bakery. Bee quickly learns how to make assorted goods and discovers a bit of magic. She can bake her feelings into the goods. If she feels scared while baking, the eater will feel scared. Her goods are requested by the mage at the castle, so Bee heads off to deliver and ends up meeting the very sweet, Princess Annika.

Annika confided in Bee that she is to be married off to an old man. The mage is dispensing Annika so he can rule the kingdom himself. The mage is a terrible person who got rid of all the trees in the kingdom, and now the kingdom is washing away.

Bee and Annika and Bee’s friend, Vill, head off in search of help and get discovered by pirates, make a few important discoveries, and learn the true meaning of family and friendship. I loved this book. It was fun and sweet and just a great well-written story. If you are looking for a book for your middle-grade student or child, this one will be a hit.

Categories
books and reading

The Great American Read

I’ve been following The Great American Read since it’s debut this past May. When I saw the 100 books selected, a few things jumped out at me. First of all, Fifty Shades of Gray was on the list. YOU. HAVE. GOT. TO. BE. KIDDING. ME. If we are talking about quality literature or even just books that have some sort of purpose, this isn’t it. Not even a chance. Secondly, one of my all-time favorite books wasn’t on the list: Les Miserables. I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s just beautiful. It’s not the musical (which is a travesty of an adaptation, btw) because it’s just so much better. One of the best stories I’ve ever read. Finally, I was pleased to see so many non-classics on the list. Modern books like Gone Girl, Looking for Alaska, The Book Thief, and Americanah. And there were some hidden gems like A Confederacy of Dunces, A Prayer for Owen Meany, and Swan Song.

It’s no surprise that To Kill a Mockingbird received the most votes. What is shocking is that the Outlander series came in second. What a piece of crap. This series has zero merit. It’s simply a fun romance series. I get that it has a place in the world of books. And that’s perfectly fine. But to be the second best book/series of all-time? Nope. No way. Harry Potter came in third. THIRD!!! That series completely revolutionized literature, and it came in third. Ugh. My all-time favorite book, 1984, was in the top 20, which is pretty great. And The Book Thief was 14, which is really one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read.

Here’s the complete list of winners, in order of votes received.

  1. To Kill a Mockingbird
  2. Outlander (Series)
  3. Harry Potter (Series)
  4. Pride and Prejudice
  5. Lord of the Rings
  6. Gone with the Wind
  7. Charlotte’s Web
  8. Little Women
  9. Chronicles of Narnia
  10. Jane Eyre
  11. Anne of Green Gables
  12. Grapes of Wrath
  13. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
  14. Book Thief
  15. Great Gatsby
  16. The Help
  17. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
  18. 1984
  19. And Then There Were None
  20. Atlas Shrugged
  21. Wuthering Heights
  22. Lonesome Dove
  23. Pillars of the Earth
  24. Stand
  25. Rebecca
  26. A Prayer for Owen Meany
  27. Color Purple
  28. Alice in Wonderland
  29. Great Expectations
  30. Catcher in the Rye
  31. Where the Red Fern Grows
  32. Outsiders
  33. The Da Vinci Code
  34. The Handmaid’s Tale
  35. Dune
  36. The Little Prince
  37. Call of the Wild
  38. The Clan of the Cave Bear
  39. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy
  40. The Hunger Games
  41. The Count of Monte Cristo
  42. The Joy Luck Club
  43. Frankenstein
  44. The Giver
  45. Memoirs of a Geisha
  46. Moby Dick
  47. Catch 22
  48. Game of Thrones (series)
  49. Foundation (series)
  50. War and Peace
  51. Their Eyes Were Watching God
  52. Jurassic Park
  53. The Godfather
  54. One Hundred Years of Solitude
  55. The Picture of Dorian Gray
  56. The Notebook
  57. The Shack
  58. A Confederacy of Dunces
  59. The Hunt for Red October
  60. Beloved
  61. The Martian
  62. The Wheel of Time (series)
  63. Siddhartha
  64. Crime and Punishment
  65. The Sun Also Rises
  66. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
  67. A Separate Peace
  68. Don Quixote
  69. The Lovely Bones
  70. The Alchemist
  71. Hatchet (series)
  72. Invisible Man
  73. The Twilight Saga (series)
  74. Tales of the City (series)
  75. Gulliver’s Travels
  76. Ready Player One
  77. Left Behind (series)
  78. Gone Girl
  79. Watchers
  80. The Pilgrim’s Progress
  81. Alex Cross Mysteries (series)
  82. Things Fall Apart
  83. Heart of Darkness
  84. Gilead
  85. Flowers in the Attic
  86. Fifty Shades of Grey
  87. The Sirens of Titan
  88. This Present Darkness
  89. Americanah
  90. Another Country
  91. Bless Me, Ultima
  92. Looking for Alaska
  93. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
  94. Swan Song
  95. Mind Invaders
  96. White Teeth
  97. Ghost
  98. The Coldest Winter Ever
  99. The Intuitionist
  100. Doña Bárbára

 

Anne Ray Foundation logo The Corporation for Public Broadcasting logo