Being the book geek that I am, I am starting a running list off all the books I have read this week, month, summer, year etc.

I just finished the following books:I slacked for a moment, while I was still reading, I decided to read an "adult" book instead, more specifically chick lit. While I am normally a mystery/ thriller this book came on recommendation of a friend who said I must read it. Apparently I reminded her of the main character in the story. Looking back, all I can say is "Thanks Dee, thanks a lot." Actually Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer was quite good. Basically, Genie,36 has a pretty good life: a decent job, an apartment (albeit really small) and a great British boyfriend, Hugh, a professor and writer that works at her school. They have been together for 4 years and during this time she has been absolutely devoted to him financially and emotionally. She would've married him in a heartbeat but he, being the commitment-phobe, never asked her even after all these years. Hugh finally makes it big with a book a wrote. His publisher has him hawking his book immediately and he sets off on a media publicity tour. Everybody loves it and can't stop talking about it. Barbara Walters on her special asks if Hugh if ever plans to marry his Dora and he proceeds to propose to this Dora on national TV. They call her together afterwards on air and this Dora says "yes, yes, yes" The problem is that it wasn't Genie's phone ringing - Hugh proposed to some other woman..... Patti, her best friend gives her some tough love advice after finding out what happened, saying "You remind me of that idiot Sleeping Beauty, lying around like a zombie waiting for your prince. Well, guess what, he rode right past your castle and now you have a choice - you can either go back to bed or you can wake up!." So Genie decides to wake up and the fun begins.....

Bloom - Elizabeth Scott

He’s perfect. I’m not kidding, he is perfect. Smart, handsome, popular, athletic, sweet and most importantly he likes me. Actually he loves me. Me, Lauren just an ordinary girl and yet he loves me. What’s the catch? I should be ecstatic but I’m not. This feeling has been building for awhile and then I see Evan. The last time I saw him was when he was moving out of my house with his mom who is now my dad’s ex. I never thought I would see him again. My heart just about explodes when he looks at which is so wrong considering I am with Dave.

The above are thoughts of Lauren, a high school student who has the guy that everyone wants and yet is not happy. Dave thinks they are perfect together, that she is the perfect girlfriend. Everyone else, the really popular kids and the ones crushing on Dave wonders what he sees in her. Truth is, Lauren is in agreement with everyone else – she too wonders what he sees in her. Fans of Sarah Dessen will enjoy this novel by Elizabeth Scott. She does a good job of bringing the characters to life even thought I have serious doubts that any male in high school reaches that high level of perfection. Easily this could’ve been just another sappy love story, but Scott adds an element of inner conflict as Lauren has to make a choice between the guy that is “right”, the safe choice and the guy that makes her come alive. Someone is going to get hurt as lies are told to her perfect boyfriend, her best friend and even her father. I can empathize with Lauren for the situation she is in. The heart and who it is attracted to is a mysterious thing. When I was in high school, I went out with a guy similar to Dave – he was handsome, sweet and funny but after I met someone else I realized he bored me to tears and even worse we had nothing in common. My heart just didn’t do the flip flops it should have when I was with him. I felt like I was pretending, playing a role like an actress when I was with him. I just didn’t have the heart to hurt him. So who will Lauren choose…..you will have to read the book to find out.

13 Reasons Why - Jay Asher

Hannah Baker committed suicide. You always wonder what could make a person do something like that. Hannah decided to let people know why and she had 13 reasons. She made 7 tapes, 13 sides, chronicling her life or to be more specific why her life came to an end. The rules were simple – you listen to all the tapes and then pass it on to the next person. It won't be easy either. She doesn’t let you know where your story is on the tapes but if you got the package then your story with her is on there somewhere. You can hear Hannah’s desperation. You just know as you read her words that she was slowly giving up on herself.

Clay was one of the people who got the package. He couldn’t understand why he got the tapes. Clay never did anything to her but recieving the tapes must mean that he ties into her story some how. But how he wonders over and over again. He had a crush on her. He felt that way since he met her but didn’t act on his feelings because like everyone else he heard the rumors about her. They had one night together but it wasn’t enough and now she is dead. Listening to the tapes is agonizing for him. You could feel the anguish he felt, the grief and anger as well.

Adolescence is like a rollercoaster – full of ups and downs, twists and turns. There are days you are up and then there are days you are down. If you work with teenagers, you need to conscious that there may be Hannah’s walking around. I bet there are and we don’t even realize it. Alertness can save someone’s life.

If this book was among a pile of other books and you could only choose one, I‘d say pick this one. You won’t forget Hannah’s words. Once I started the book I couldn’t put it down. The story had me tearing up. It also had me on the edge of my seat as the story built up to its climatic finish. Asher did a great job of writing a story about issues that plague teenagers today. By the end, I felt like I had known Hannah personally and mourned for her just as Clay did.

** You know the saying "good things come to those who wait".... I know you are going to read this review and run out to the nearest bookstore to pick it up but ....the book is not out yet - it will be available on Oct 18, 2007. The wait will be worth it.

Little (Grrl) Lost - Charles De lint

Charles de Lint once said, "The fey wonders of the world only exist while there are those with the sight to see them." Magical Folk are very particular who they appear to and not every Tom, Dick, or Mary can see them. T.J., in LITTLE (GRRL) LOST, has the sight.

Scritch, scritch, scritch…..

T.J. has been hearing that sound for days now as she lay in her bed at night. Each time she turns on her light to investigate, the noises stop. She hopes its not mice making the racket. It didn't sound like mice and when she leaned her ear up against the baseboard she thought she actually heard….voices. Crazy, huh? But then the impossible happened -- a door in the wall suddenly opened, splashing a stream of light, and out walked a little girl with bright blue hair and a dufflebag slung over her shoulder. She looked to be about six inches tall. Her parents were demanding that she come back this instant. T.J. thought she was dreaming, but yet she was wide awake and this little girl was talking to her. She had a huge attitude, making her seem much taller than her six inches. It turned out that they had a lot in common and that night was the start of a friendship. With two plots running, the main lesson learned from this story is that it doesn't matter if you are a Little or a Big, learning about yourself is a growing process that at times takes you on journeys you never would have imagined.

I didn't read much fantasy until a student put one of Charles de Lint's books in my hand – from that moment on I was hooked. His work (at least the ones I have read) I find to be engaging and easy to read. LITTLE (GRRL) LOST, his newest offering, is no exception. I finished it within a couple of hours. I think what I like most about his work is that it is not hardcore dark fantasy. Instead, it is contemporary fiction with all of the fantastical elements needed to be considered a fantasy selection – fairies, gnomes, goblins, and other magical creatures.


13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson

If your crazy , (well that 's what your mom thinks), Aunt Peg sends you a letter telling you about a quest you are about to go on complete with rules that you must follow.....would you do it? All you can bring with you is what fits in your backpack. You can't bring an electronic devices with you - that means no ipod, mp3, cell phone - nothing. You also can't take any extra money with you either. Credit cards are a no-no. Would you still go? But you have to do pick up a package waiting for you - with more instructions - all in 13 little blue envelopes - that you must open one at a time. Would you still do it? Can you actually resist the temptation to open all the envelopes at one? Ginny decides she can and this sets her off on a mad cap adventure around the world. Everything Ginny knows about herself and the world changes during this incredible summer. Read the book and find out what happens as she opens each envelope one by one. This is book that is hard to put down - I finished in just a couple hours sitting by the pool - falling completely in love with it. I only wish I had a crazy Aunt Peg......


Boy Toy - Barry Lyga

From the author of Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Gothgirl, comes a wonderfully written 2ND novel. It deals with a relatively, okay absolutely taboo subject, molestation. Some people may shy away from it because of the topic but others will be drawn in like me because it was wonderfully written. The book is worthy of 4 stars.When Josh was in 7th grade life his life changed. Not in the way that a normal preteen life would. I mean: drastically life altering, can scar you for life type of change. Its not something that can be kept a secret either. It's a small town and what happened involved a teacher. Everyone in his school, his town thinks they understand how he feels. But they don't—they can't. Fast forward five years, Josh is still trying to sort through things - college is just around the corner and there is a girl with whom he used to be close to back in his life whether he wants to or not, his parents are fighting more, money is tight for the family. Now throw in another dynamic, Eve as she told him to call her, the teacher, has been released from jail. The memories flood back. She said she loved him, treating him like a grown up instead of little kid. But in this case, love was just a word and it was misused and misappropriated by something else. This book is f star worth if not more.

The Confessional - J.L. Powers

My family came over from Russia and Poland at the turn of the century. I an American even if I have Russian or Polish or whatever blood running through me. Many people from other countries have done the same for centuries. We have Cuban Americans, Russian Americans, Greek Americans, Hispanic Americans etc. Its a swirl of colors, beliefs and languages - a true melting pot. Unfortunately an act of terrorism can make you cast a net of suspicion over anyone that is different from us. It is either us or them.

In reading Confessional by JL. Powers I came to understand what living on the border, straddling two place is really like. The book opens up with a letter from a letter from a Mexican man, bitter because he is treated liked a terrorist when he stopped by border control crossing the river to go to work. Granted, he is working illegally but he is working. He is also bitter because his wife a maquilla worker was found dead. She is not the only one - many women have been found dead in the desert He wrote letter after letter to our government for help but to no avail. He even lost 2 days wages in hope of getting someone to pay attention to the situation. Nada! So he got their attention - he blew himself up, on the bridge that connects Mexico to the United States, killing himself and 32 other Americans on Cinco De Mayo.

A year later, Mackenzie Malone, a student at a Catholic High School, writes an editorial considered controversial to the local newspaper. He doesn't feel that Cinco de Mayo should be celebrated, that it is too soon and a moment of silence is just not enough for those that died. His classmates think he is a racist for his words. Tensions mount between the Americans, Mexican Americans and Mexicans during the week. Mac gets into a fight with a Mexican classmate and basically beats him to a bloody pulp. Tension mounts some more. By the end of that night, Mac is dead, stabbed to death. The rest of the story is told in alternating chapters by 5 of his classmates, his friends. Secrets are revealed as well as some fear and insecurities. Everybody is a suspect but who really did it, you will find out in the end.


Echo - Kate Morgenrath

Mark is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The anniversary of his brother's death is nearing, a death that he witnessed and Mark is suffering greatly - very angry and also emotionally disconnected from his family. At school, his friends are no longer his friends and he frequently gets in trouble. The day of the anniversary starts like any other day for Mark except his anger almost at a boiling point guided by an internal voice (or so you think) will have a run in with both his former best friend and girlfriend. Every chapter starts off the sames way with him getting ready for school but with each chapter you find out another piece of what transpired on the day of the run in. After awhile I think in the third or is it fourth retelling of the day, did I finally start to catch on to what "really" happened that day. The book was impossible to put down, because you you just wanted to get to the truth. Great book for reluctant readers.


Nature of Jade - Deb Caletti

Jade is exceptionally tough - I am talking not only of the gemstone but the also of the protagonist of this book. In high school, Jade Deluna is diagnosed with having a panic disorder. When things get stressful or she is uncomfortable, she experiences a feeling like the walls are closing in and shortness of breathe. This is all very scary for her and it is hard for her to cope. Her parents have issues of their own. Both Jade and her brother notice their parent's crumbling marriage and wonder if they will get a divorce. Her mother is busy reliving her high school years through Jade by being the PTA president in her school and her father hides downstairs and tinkers with his train set when not taking her younger brother to some sort of sport. She sees a therapist weekly which helps but what helps her most are the elephants at the zoo and later on the boy in the red jacket.

Harmless - Dana Reinhardt

Is there ever a time a lie should not be condemned? Have you ever lied? Did you get away with a lie or were there repercussions to reap from the fib you told? Emma, Mariah and Anna in Harmless know what happens when you spin a web of deceit.Anna and Emma have been best friends since third grade. Anna and Emma. Emma and Anna. Where there was one, usually the other was there. You never had to worry about those two girls. Mariah enters the picture when Emma and her have to practice together for the play, Romeo and Juliet. Mariah brings something exciting to the table. She is outspoken, a bit cynical, experienced with the guys. Emma is the moody one, quiet and bottles up all her emotions. Anna on the other hand is totally insecure and will ride on any one's coat-tails if they let her. It was no wonder that Anna and Emma jumped at a chance to be friends with Mariah.Mariah invites Emma and Anna to party with her boyfriend and a few of his friends. Anna and Emma both knew that their parents would never let them do such a thing so they told a little white lie saying that they were somewhere else. The first lie was easy. The second lie started their world spiraling in direction they never thought would ever happen. They weren't lying to be malicious; they lied to keep themselves out of trouble but that only led them into deeper pile of you know what. At first no harm, no foul but then an innocent person gets punished for their actions, for a crime he didn't commit. Is it too late to tell the truth now? If they only told the truth to begin with....


Weight of the Sky - Lisa Ann Sandell

The blurb on the jacket of the book caught my attention because I thought I was a lot like the protagonist, Sarah, back in high school and wanted to see how her story would unfold. I totally understood what Sarah meant when she thought the "religion was constant decision of her everyday life". She, like I was, is in the minority, being one of only a handful of Jews in her high school. Both of us have run into people that can't understand some of our religious traditions and beliefs. Her parents offer her a trip to Israel to work on a kibbutz the summer before her senior year. Of course, she had other ideas on what she wanted to do on her summer vacation but still she jumps at a chance to escape her world of being the only Jew and a band geek and crushing on the most popular boy in school. I emphasized with her and wished my parents would have offered me a trip to Israel to find myself. This book written in free verse was easy to read, entertaining and hard to put down.

Life as it Comes - Anne-Laure Bondoux

It is definitely not easy being 15 and losing both your parents in an accident. It is even more difficult when the sister that is supposed to be taking care of you is the one you end up taking care of. These sisters are as different as night and day. Mado, 15, is just a girl who is trying to cope with her parents death, getting good grades and trying to keep together what is left of her family Patty, on the other hand, is a party girl who lacks sound judgement on a continuous basis. Mado relishes this role of "big sister" even less when Patty announces she is several months pregnant. Uh oh..... Originally written in French, the translation is choppy at times but it still delivers the sister's raw emotions from being absolutely overwhelmed and angered to ecstatically happy and in love.


Rules of Survival - Nancy Werlin

Nancy Werlin knows how to tell a story, especially a mystery. She first caught my attention with Double Helix and continued to keep my attention with Killer's Cousin. This story while it does have elements of being a mystery is more suspenseful then anything else. . The book is narrated by Matthew the oldest of 3 siblings. He is writing a letter to his youngest sister Emma who was too young at the time ti understand why their mom finally left them. basically Matthew has spent his entire life protecting his siblings from the abuse of their mother Nikki, If you looked at Nikki you would never know - she seems normal, very attractive, smart but she is also manipulative and cruel. Nothing is easy for them. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. A page turner to the end.

Silent Echoes - Carla Jablonski

If you are a fan of Libba Bray's Great and Terrible Beauty then you will like this one. Basically here is what happened: You got two girls living in two different time periods that can communicate with each other. Lucy, a girl who lives in 1884 is a con artist conducting "seances" but things get interesting when she actually hears a "spirit" begging for help. This "spirit" turns out to be Lindsay a girl living in present day NY. The two start communicating and Lucy raises to fame as a a medium and Lindsay's life spirals out of control as she gets hospitalized for hearing voices. See where this is going now.....the two girls realize they are really hearing each other's voices every time they occupy the same physical location, they begin to see possibilities that will change both of their lives forever.

Queen's Soprano - Carol Dines

This book is a fictionalized account of Angelica Voglia who became the Queen Christina's soprano during the time of Pope Innocent XI. All she wants to do is sing but the pope has forbidden women to sing in public. Angelica's only hope to sing before an audience and escape a forced marriage arranged by her controlling mother is to flee to Queen Christina's court, where she will become the queen's soprano. Of course there is more to the story but you have to read it it to find out the rest. Definitely recommend!!

What Happened to Cass McBride? - Gail Giles

Someone has to pay for David's death, his brother thinks. He was supposed to be David's protector from their verbally abusive mother. Though more than one person played a role in David's death, Kyle hell bent on vengeance takes out his revenge on one of David's classmates, Cass McBride, a girl who turned David down when he asked her for a date. He kidnaps her, places her in a box and buries her alive torturing her with cruel words. Cass however has never had trouble using words and she uses them to draw Kyle into a dialogue. But will that be enough to save Cass's life? You will have to read the book to find out. Long after you finish, I will tell you that you may still be chilled from reading this story thinking about issues of responsibility and scapegoating. Better suited for mature readers being that there is violence and obscenities throughout the story.