380 pages
Storm Cycle by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen showcases the concept of "distributed computing" reads like futuristic but is actually something that is happening right now.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Summer's End
383 pages.
Summer's End by Danielle Steel. One of Steel's older novels circa 1981, still a good read.
Summer's End by Danielle Steel. One of Steel's older novels circa 1981, still a good read.
RUNNING FROM THE LAW BYH lISA sCOTTOLINE
429 PAGES
Attorney Rita Morrone is still playing poker with the "old guys", still funny and hip.
Scottoline gives a tantalizing plot with fast paced action.
Attorney Rita Morrone is still playing poker with the "old guys", still funny and hip.
Scottoline gives a tantalizing plot with fast paced action.
MARRIAGE WANTED by Debbie Macomber
251 pages
Marriage coordinator meets divorce attorney who thinks marriage is a mistake.
Marriage coordinator meets divorce attorney who thinks marriage is a mistake.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Beyond Lucky by Sarah Aronson
Beyond Lucky by Sarah Aronson250 pages
I think I would have honestly enjoyed this one more if it weren't the third sports book I have read for the Mark Twain awards. I am not much into sports books. But love the fact it is a good soccer book, for a boy or a girl. The kiddos in my community are gonna love this one!
Monday, August 27, 2012
Flutter by Erin E. Moulton
Flutter by Erin E. Moulton200 pages
Didn't get much into this book. Hard to really sink my teeth into, and I thought the plot very unlikely. Loved the cover, though
The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann390 pages
In Quill, only the best thinkers are allowed to live. Any one showing signs of weakness, or creativity, or imagination is eliminated. But they are not. Instead of being terminated, Alex finds himself in the secret world of Artime. Can he adapt to his new home, or will missing his twin lead him down a path that might be the end of Artime, and maybe even the deaths of his new friends.
Liked this! And the cover says it all...Hunger Games meets Harry Potter. If a parent is a little weary of their kiddos reading Hunger Games, this would be a good alternative.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
American Pastoral, by Philip Roth
423 pages
"Roth's protagonist is Swede Levov, a legendary athlete at his Newark high school, who grows up in the booming postwar years to marry a former Miss New Jersey, inherit his father's glove factory, and move into a stone house in the idyllic hamlet of Old Rimrock. And then one day in 1968, Swede's beautiful American luck deserts him."
When I finished it, I kind of just sat back and said to myself, 'What was that?'.
The Midwife of Hope River, by Patricia Harman
320 pages
"As a midwife working in the hardscrabble conditions of Appalachia during the Depression, Patience Murphy's only solace is her gift: the chance to escort mothers through the challanges of childbirth. Just beginning, she takes on the jobs no one else wants: those most in need-and least likely to pay. Patience is willing to do what it takes to fulfill her mentor's wishes, but starting a midwife practice means gaining trust, and Patience's secrets are too fragile to let anyone in."
I won a pre-release copy of this book off Goodreads.com (it comes out Aug. 28). I was really hoping to connect more with the main character. The story jumps around so much you never really get comfortable.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Close to Famous by Joan Bauer
Close to Famous by Joan Bauer250 pages
Foster has issues out the wazoo. Her and her mom left her home in the middle of the night to escape the rampage of her mother's ex-boyfriend, an Elvis impersonator, who was getting creepier, and creepier. And she can't read. For every time she has opened a book, something shuts down, and won't let her read the simplest words. But she, and her mother, are not giving up. They find themselves in a new town, with new opportunities. And who knows? Maybe is she can do the impossible, teach a scaredy-cat aging actress to cook something as simple as a hamburger, maybe she can teach her to read. And she is going to need to read if she is going to become famous for her cooking.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Saint Louis Armstrong Beach by Brenda Woods
Saint Louis Armstrong Beach by Brenda Woods137 pages
Saint is a boy loving life in the middle of New Orleans. He comes from a good family, has a best friend (even if they are on the outs right now) and he has a dream. He is performing with his clarinet with an empty hat for tourists so that he can buy his dream clarinet...and in a few years, he will be on his was to Julliard. But Hurricane Katrina sweeps through, possibly destroying his town as well as his dreams. Really liked this book...and I think it is great for kids from this area to get a glimpse of such a catastrophe that truly rocked the world.
The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz
The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz368 pages
My my interest in the series waning.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Pigs in Heaven, by Barbara Kingsolver
343 pages
"Six-year-old Turtle Greer witnesses a freak accident at the Hoover Dam, leading to a man's dramatic rescue. But Turtle's moment of celebrity draws her into a crisis of historical proportions that will envelop not only her and her mother, Taylor, but everyone else who touched their lives in a complex web connecting their future with their past."
A follow up to The Bean Trees. I wasn't too pleased with the ending, it seemed too neat and tidy.
Prodigal Summer, by Barbara Kingsolver
444 pages
"It weaves together three stories of human love within a larger tapestry of lives amid the mountains and farms of southern Appalachia. Over the course of one humid summer, this novel's intriguing protagonists face disparate predicaments but find connections to one another and to the flora and fauna with which they necessarily share a place."
I really enjoyed this one, I couldn't put it down.
What Women Want, by Paco Underhill
256 pages
"Underhill offers a tour of the world’s marketplace—with shrewd observations and practical applications to help everybody adapt to the new realities. As large numbers of women become steadily wealthier, more powerful, and more independent, their choices and preferences are transforming our commercial environment in a variety of important ways, from the cars we drive to the food we eat; from how we buy and furnish our homes to how we gamble, play, and use the Internet—in short, how we spend our time and money."
Disappointing and all over the place.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz
Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz264 pages
3rd book in the Blue Bloods series. There are some things that are hard for me to swallow...but I know that this is a fantasy fiction series, so I put aside my thoughts about this in a religious sense. Once I get past that, I have absolutely loved these books.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Masquerade by Melissa De La Cruz
Masquerade by Melissa De La Cruz311 pages
The more is get into this series, the more I enjoy it!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
NO ONE TO TRUST
301 pages by Iris Johansen takes you to the edge of suspence. This time there is no where to run, no place to hide, no way out of his deadlyh game for trained military sniper, Elena.
GROOM WANTED by Debbie Macomber
250 pages
Macomber writes another "light" romance with a twist to it.
Macomber writes another "light" romance with a twist to it.
Dust to Dust by Tami Hoag
480 pages
Per Chicago Tribune, " Without a doube one of the most intense suspense writers around" Hoag leaves the competition in the dust.
Per Chicago Tribune, " Without a doube one of the most intense suspense writers around" Hoag leaves the competition in the dust.
Dead Watch by John Sandford
406 PAGES..........................................Dead Watch by John Sandford
Sandford is a New York Times Bestselling Author writes a fast moving tale.
per San Antonio Express-News.............Sandford is a master at creating believable, indelible characters like Winter. He is peerless when it comes to economical, taut plotting, most notable at building tension
Sandford is a New York Times Bestselling Author writes a fast moving tale.
per San Antonio Express-News.............Sandford is a master at creating believable, indelible characters like Winter. He is peerless when it comes to economical, taut plotting, most notable at building tension
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Friday, August 17, 2012
Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz
Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz302 pages
Interesting new vampire twist.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Garlic and Sapphires, by Ruth Reichl
328 pages
"Ruth Reichl, world-renowned food critic and editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, knows a thing or two about food. She also knows that as the most important food critic in the country, you need to be anonymous when reviewing some of the most high-profile establishments in the biggest restaurant town in the world--a charge she took very seriously, taking on the guise of a series of eccentric personalities."
A lot of fun to read. Although I would never spend the kind of money it takes to eat at these restaurants. There are also good recipes that she shares.
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick546 pages
Do not let the thickness of this book scare you away, from reading it yourself, or picking it up for your kiddo! Beautiful story, and half of it is illustrations.
Ben's mother has passed away, leaving him in the care of his aunt and uncle. Never knowing his father, he starts to find clues that there might be someone out there that he belongs to.
Rose is kept inside her house...it is far too dangerous for a deaf girl to be out on her own. She could have an accident or be kidnapped. Do not mention the fact that this could happen to any kid out and about.
Ben and Rose's story intertwines beautifully. Both kids strike out on their own to find their place in this world, drawing together in a warm heartfelt conclusion. Ben's story is told in words, and Rose's in pictures. Love, love, love!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Zombie Tag by Hannah Moskowitz
Zombie Tag by Hannah Moskowitz227 pages
Thought this book was a bit of a waste of time. Assume that thirty years ago there were confirmed zombies. They found them dead in a heap, and no one knows what really happened with them. Wil's brother is dead, and he knows that there is some way to get him back. But he's worried about how he will come back. And then there's this bell, that happens to end up in a friends house, so he steals it, rings it, and brings back all of the dead within five miles. But they aren't zombies like we think. They are just a bunch of disinterested people who want to go back to their lives. No sadness, no happiness, no nothing. Yeah..
Monday, August 13, 2012
The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver
546 pages
It's 1959, and a Baptist preacher takes his wife and four daughters into the Congo for a mission. The story is told through the eyes of the mother and each daughter, and each perspective is a rich look at how different we can see things. The relationships and characters are very real feeling, and the writing is very rich.
The Underdogs by Mike Lupica
The Underdogs by Mike Lupica280 pages
I don't care for sports books, but this one literally had me bawling towards the end. Such a positive book for kids...a must read for your sports nuts, or any boy for that matter (or girl!)
Football is everything for twelve-year-old Will. But soon there will be no football for this dying little town. But without his team, Will has no idea what he will do, or who he even is. He goes all out, turning for help to someone so big and distant, that it is very unlikely that he will even get an answer. But he does...the team is saved. But, can he pull together enough people who still have faith to even fill the roster?
Trafficked by Kim Purcell
Trafficked by Kim Purcell384 pages
Hannah has been brought to the United States on the premise that she will be a nanny to a Russian family. She is promised wages, a place to stay, and a chance to take English classes. Her dreams quickly go down the drain as she becomes slave to a bitter, evil woman, and his drunk womanizing husband.
Pie by Sarah Weeks
Pie by Sarah Weeks183 pages
Warm, heartfelt, funny book. Alice's beloved Aunt Polly passes away, along with her secret to making the best pie crust in the nation. Instead of leaving the recipe to her niece, as everyone thought she would, she left it to her cantankerous cat, Lardo. Now Lardo is missing, the pie shop has been ransacked, and Alice and her friend can only think that someone will go to no ends to get their paws on that recipe. At the beginning of each chapter there are pie recipes...so much wish I knew how to bake!
Saturday, August 11, 2012
The Bean Trees, by Barbara Kingsolver
232 pages
"Clear-eyed and spirited, Taylor Greer grew up poor in rural Kentucky with the goals of avoiding pregnancy and getting away. But when she heads west with high hopes and a barely functional car, she meets the human condition head-on. By the time Taylor arrives in Tucson, Arizona, she has acquired a completely unexpected child, a three-year-old American Indian girl named Turtle, and must somehow come to terms with both motherhood and the necessity for putting down roots."
A really interesting story told from a great perspective. Rich writing, lots of detail. And the minor characters never really feel minor at all.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach
Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach262 pages
Fun mystery for younger readers.
Sex With the Queen, by Eleanor Herman
336 pages
"In royal courts bristling with testosterone—swashbuckling generals, polished courtiers, and virile cardinals—how did repressed regal ladies find happiness?"
Quick-witted nonfiction. The best kind.
Canada, by Richard Ford
432 pages
"When fifteen-year-old Dell Parsons' parents rob a bank, his sense of normal life is forever altered. In an instant, this private cataclysm drives his life into before and after, a threshold that can never be uncrossed."
I really found myself unable to put this book down, it was strange but incredibly interesting.
Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld
425 pages
I really enjoyed this book. While it looked intimidatingly look for a young adult book, it was a quick read. It was a really interesting take on a society that values looks, not thinking, about everything else.
Interview With the Vampire, Anne Rice
342 pages
Louis the vampire tells his story to a reporter. It was okay, it probably could have ended about 100 pages sooner than it actually did. I prefer the movie.
R My Name is Rachel by Patricia Reilly Giff
R My Name is Rachel by Patricia Reilly Giff166 pages
Rachel and her two siblings are uprooted along with their father in the middle of the depression in order to find work. When their father finally does find work, it takes him away from home, leaving the three kids to fend for themselves.
For a book set in this time frame, the characters didn't stick with me as much as I thought they would. I didn't find myself liking or disliking any of them. I felt it was very bland. I would, however, love this book as a group discussion. I am fascinated by the struggles and sacrifices of this desolate time, and wonder about all of the luxuries that we have in modern homes that we would lose if we hit hard times like this. It was hard, but we have so many extras that are taken for granted..tvs, phones, computers, gaming devices, etc.
Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck
Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck238 pages
I couldn't get into this book personally...if it wasn't a part of a list I was reading, I probably wouldn't have finished it. The writing was absolutely superb, and I think this would be a fun book to read snuggled into bed, reading along with a child. But as an adult reader, it has always been hard for me to swallow a mouse character. Would love to talk to kids that have read and loved this one. Wonder what the interest is.
Hothead by Cal Ripken Jr. with Kevin Cowheard
Hothead by Cal Ripken Jr. with Kevin Cowheard135 pages
I was wildly impressed with this book, and sport books usually aren't my thing. I felt this book was so very real, and I could instantly think of a dozen kids that would/should read this book.
Connor is a baseball legend in his hometown. And his team is headed towards the championship. But he finds himself making mistakes on the field. Even worse, he finds himself losing his temper in a huge way, that makes him a lousy friend and teammate. But with all the the stress at home, his dad losing his job, and the late night overheard discussions about 'losing the house' it's no wonder that he is having a hard time holding it together. But he has to reign in his temper, maybe talk to someone about what is going on at home, before he completely loses it, or gets booted from the Orioles.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Capitol Murder by Phillip Margolin
Capitol Murder by Phillip Margolin .............................340 pages
When convicted serial killer escapes death row, PI Dana Cutler and attorney Brad Miller are thrown together to solve wicked threats. Margolin is a master of suspense.
When convicted serial killer escapes death row, PI Dana Cutler and attorney Brad Miller are thrown together to solve wicked threats. Margolin is a master of suspense.
NIGHT SINS
Night Signs by Tami Hoag......................541 pages
A small peaceful town where bad things just don't happen. A small boy disappears.
A small peaceful town where bad things just don't happen. A small boy disappears.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Barn Boot Blues by Catherine Friend
Barn Boot Blues by Catherine Friend142 pages
When twelve-year-old Taylor is uprooted from her home in Minneapolis to a small town farming life, she is anything but happy. She has to find her way back to the big city where she belongs. And when several disasters give the town reason to openly laugh at her, her unhappiness turns to pure misery. One of her big jobs is to collect eggs in the morning...which leads to her running late to the bus in her ugly old barn boots, or lands her in class with chicken poop in her hair.
Taylor is a very sympathetic character. Even as an adult I found myself hoping she gets out of the mess. But her parents are also sympathetic...they had no idea what they were getting themselves into. You truly see a family trying their hardest. Loved this book! Will be a great book for young readers.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Deadly Pink by Vivian Vande Velde
Deadly Pink by Vivian Vande Velde288 pages
Grace must save her sister from the fantasy gaming world she has escaped into...a world filled with pink, ruffles, cottages, and unicorns. But why would her perfect sister need to escape? Good sci-fi read for girls, but not my cup of tea.
The Girl in the Park by Mariah Fredericks
The Girl in the Park by Mariah Fredericks217 pages
Not a bad teen mystery, though I wonder if they will figure out the murderer as quickly as I did.
Wendy is dead, found in the park. Rain knows that Wendy wasn't a good person all the time. She went after the girls who shunned her in a brutal way...by going after their boyfriends. But Wendy still deserves justice. Rain must overcome her embarrassment that comes with speech impediment to truly speak up for her friend.
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo356 pages
I picked this up in a hurry for one reason only: there was a quote from Veronica Roth, the author of Divergent. This was amazing! A very different and unique storyline that I fell into instantly. Alina and Mal are the best of friends, growing up in an orphanage together. They come to the age where they are required to go into service for the king. When Alina and Mal's lives are threatened, a special talent comes out of Alina. One that she never knew existed. She can produce a light so bright that it blinds the enemy. Can this hidden skill save the land from the Fold, a land where darkness rules?
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
WooHoo! July 2012 Totals!
As a team, (5 participants) we read 57 books and 19, 464 pages!
Bibliophile is the winner of this month's prize drawing...COME ON DOWN!
Individual standings for the month are as follows...
Arline: 9 books, 3,583 pages
Bibliophile: 3 books, 1,147 pages
Bobbie: 16 books, 5,685 pages
Ginny: 16 books, 5,216 pages
Judy: 12 books, 3,833 pages
Thank you to everyone who participated this month!
Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins
Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins213 pages
2nd book in the Underland Series
Gregor is back in the Underland after Boots is kidnapped right in front of his own eyes. The Underlanders need him to follow through on another prophecy. This time, it is Boots' life that is on the line.
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