Or, at least, from here to the end. I'm taking another break to let y'all know how read-a-thon-ing progresses here. So, here's the mid-event survey to help me out:
1. What are you reading right now?
In the middle of The Kings of Clonmel and The Heir of Night but I'm thinking I'll start something new!
2. How many books have you read so far?
I finished one I started previously (Blubber by Judy Blume) and read a whole book (Bogus by Karla Oceanek)
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
My chocolate snacks.
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
No, but fortunately my husband had tickets to a football game, so he doesn't feel neglected :)
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
A few minor things. I just stop reading, it isn't the end of the world to stop now and then (most of the time).
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
How many people I don't know in the blogging world. And how many I'll probably never get to know.
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
I love that there is a master list of mini-challenges and when they'll be up. Awesome idea - definitely something to keep for next year!
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
Hm...I guess I'd be sure to take more walks outside - I get a bit crazy when I'm inside all day!
9. Are you getting tired yet?
No! But, I'm sure I will be soon :)
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?
Allow yourself to skip around with books - if something is boring you to death or you can't get into, put it down and read something else. Something short and easy, like a graphic novel or a children's book.
Here's the final update info too:
Title of book(s) currently reading: The Kings of Clonmel by John Flanagan
Number of books read since you started: finished 4, started 1, continued with 1
finished since last update: none
Pages read since last update: 42
Running total of pages read since you started: 742 (+2 hrs audio book)
Amount of time spent reading since last update: .75 hrs (yeah, I zonked before hour 20)
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 12.75 hours
Mini-challenges completed: 8
End of event questions:
1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
the last one I was awake (19)
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
I'd say adventure - something with a lot of action or suspense. But, whatever interests you most would be good.
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
No. I think it runs pretty smoothly
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
I liked having the mini-challenge schedule posted.
5. How many books did you read?
I finished 4 books.
6. What were the names of the books you read?
Blubber by Judy Blume, Bogus by Karla Oceanak, Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures: The Amazing Mexican Secret by Jeff Brown, and Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume
7. Which book did you enjoy most?
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume
8. Which did you enjoy least?
Not sure.
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
Fairly likely - probably a reader again.
How long did you last?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Welcome reader-a-thon-ers! I'm super excited to be hosting my first mini-challenge this year. Hopefully this will be a fun break from your reading that will let you exercise other parts of your brain!
For this challenge, you will be creating a Book Puzzle. Essentially, this is a series of pictures, graphics, or photos that you put together that will describe a book title. It isn't too easy to explain in words, so I'll show you. I just started a biweekly game called Name That Book where I do book puzzles and let people guess the titles. Here's an example from that first one:
This series of pictures illustrates the title Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale.
Now it's your turn to create your own Book Puzzle (or you can create more than one - they are quite fun). Once you've posted your puzzle on your blog, come back and leave me the direct link in the Mr. Linky below. And be sure to visit others' puzzles - it's lots of fun to guess! I'll be picking a winner (randomly of course, I'm not good at judging awesomeness) who will receive a 10$ gift certificate to Amazon. This is international since I'll be sending it via email. Now go forth and create! [Mini-challenge is now closed and the winner has been contacted - nfmgirl (Cerebral Girl) - thanks for playing everyone!]
If you enjoy book puzzles, stop by my blog again on Monday for another episode of my Name That Book game.
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
It's finally here! I'm so excited to be participating in Dewey's 24-hour read-a-thon again and I'm also hosting a mini-challenge later today. Be sure to check that out. To start off (I'm only about two hours late getting up...as usual) I'm doing the hour 1 meme:
Where are you reading from today?
From the comfort of my recliner chair, bed, and possibly porch (ok, in Utah)
3 facts about me
-I burned to a crisp an attempted batch of lemon bars (left the apartment while they were still in the oven) - won't be snacking on those!
-I'm one of those wishing that the hot summer weather would come back...
-Though now that I said that, I really want a cup of hot chocolate and a scone!
That ain't brownies, friends!
How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
That looks like eleven - plus an audio and one on my kindle. Make that thirteen.
Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon?
I'm not going to be expecting much of myself as far as time commitments. I'd like to get a handful of books finished, but I'll be happy with three. I'm also hoping to do a few mini-challenges, but not nearly as many as I did last time. More time reading for me. I'm aiming for about 12-14 hours of reading time today.
If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time?
Get comfortable - you don't want to have a crick in your neck from all that reading!
I'll probably just be just updating this post for a while, so check back to this for changes:
Title of book(s) currently reading: The Heir of Night by Helen Lowe & The Kings of Clonmel by John Flanagan
Number of books read since you started: finished 1, started 2, continued with 1
Pages read since last update: 110
Running total of pages read since you started: 306
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1.75 hours
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 4.75 hours
Mini-challenges completed: 4
And, as an added bonus picture for the hour 5 meme from My Read Room, here's some of my signed books:
Best of luck to those who are participating!
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication date: October 2010
ISBN: 978-1416971757
Source: e-book available from publisher
Things I Liked:
I'm really starting to love steampunk. The fun way it clothes history and especially the note at the end of the book that explained what happened and what didn't, make it one of the best ways I know to learn history while being entertained. Westerfeld has a gift for creating characters and an alternate world that seems plausible. His creative vocabulary for the Darwinists and the Clankers and their slang always makes me adopt new words and phrases, most notably "barking spiders" and "bum-rags." I was so glad also that the e-book ARC had the illustrations included. These are gorgeous and completely capture the feel of the book. Almost my favorite part of the whole series. The story is quick and full of adventures and will surely appeal to both boys and girls alike looking for something that's a mix of fantasy, historical fiction, and action/adventure.
This was nothing like Buckingham Palace, where Deryn had watched the changing of the Royal Lionesque Guard her first day in London. That was four stories tall and as square as a cake. But here the buildings were low and surrounded by colonnades, their arches decorated with checkerboards of black and white marble, as shiny as piano keys. Steam pipes wound across the mosaicked walls lik message lizard tubes, sweating and huffing with the energies inside them. p 181 of ARC
As she drew, the whire and clatter of the machines around her, the sounds blending like the crash of distant waves. Deryn wondered how the Clankers had managed it, translating questions into scatterings of holes in paper. Did every wee sliver of knowledge have its own number? The system was probably quicker than wandering through the ceiling-high shelves, but what other books might she have found, doing it herself? p 322 of ARC
Things I Didn't Like:
I kind of wish more had been resolved at the end, but I suppose that's what the next book is for!
Read-alikes:
Airborn and sequels by Kenneth Oppel
Larklight by Philip Reeve
Dreadnought by Cherie Priest
Definitely read Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld first
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
just some barking spiders
mrg-factor: none
one rather interesting kiss...
v-factor: ->->
there are definitely battles, though not a lot of gore
Overall rating: *****
I'm so excited for Scott Westerfeld to visit our local library this month! Any of you fortunate enough to meet him before?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: August 2010
ISBN: 9780373210138
Source: e-book provided through NetGalley
Meghan must return to the winter court, according to her promise with Ash. Once there, she is essentially a prisoner and cannot leave to return home or to the summer court. But, when a powerful talisman is stolen from winter court and summer is immediately blamed, Meghan must find a way to escape and prove that it was not summer but the iron fey that stole it. A new king of the iron fey has emerged and he is determined that summer and winter will kill each other off and he will rule in their places. Can she find the stolen scepter before it is too late?
Things I Liked:
I'm still intrigued by the unique twist on faerie stories Kagawa has created. Introducing iron fey? Just so awesome. I love the idea of having an entire kingdom of fey that are counter to the regular fey. Meghan is an interesting heroine - strong and resilient, but also weak and foolish. She seems to know what she wants most of the time, but not always. It was a fun, fast-paced faerie story for those looking for something a little different than the usual fare. And I would just like to say - I'd pick Puck any day. I definitely prefer humor to Ash's icy coldness. Here are some good quotes:
Dark, wild music echoed throughout the chamber, played by a group of humans on a corner stage. The musicians' eyes were glazed over as they sawed and beat at their instruments, their bodies frighteningly thin. Their hair hung long and lank, as if they hadn't cut it for years. Yet, they didn't seem to be distressed or unhappy, playing their instruments with zombielike fervor, seemingly blind to their inhuman audience. p 21 of ARC
No matter how much I wanted a normal life, there would be a part of me that longed for this world, for the magic and wonder of it. It had seeped into my soul and shown me things I'd never thought existed. I couldn't be normal and ignorant ever again, knowing what was out there. Faery was a part of me now. p 125 of ARC
"I would kiss you, cat," Puck said as we crowded through the doorway, "if we weren't in such a hurry. Also the hairballs could be unpleasant." p 238 of ARC
Things I Didn't Like:
I was not as impressed with the story in this one. It seemed a bit tenuous that Meghan would be involved in wanting to save Faerie again. Her reasons didn't strike me as believable. Also, it just wasn't as interesting. I got a bit tired of the extremely in love teenagers, especially when Meghan would talk about how much she loved Ash. I think I need to read something without romance. :) Still kept me intrigued enough to keep reading though. I'll be interested to know where she takes the next book, since things didn't seem very clearly explained in this one.
Read-alikes:
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (read it first)
Wicked Lovely books by Melissa Marr
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
some throughout, nothing too strong
mrg-factor: X
mostly kissing and longing to be kissed
v-factor: ->->
there is some fighting and violence
Overall rating: ****
Do you find yourself getting tired of a favorite genre after a while?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
It's been two weeks since my last library loot post and I've actually managed to hit the shelves again (looking for specific books, of course, but still). Here are some delights I picked up:
Everything is Fine by Ann Dee Ellis
The Way He Lived by Emily Wing Smith
Blubber by Judy Blume
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume (no, I've never read it!)
And I got a few books in the mail:
Halo by Alexandra Adornetto
I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett
Boxed set of the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins (won from Scholastic!)
Now on to a little bitty, but full of fun review:
It's a Book by Lane Smith
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Publication date: August 2010
ISBN: 9781596436060
Source: review copy provided by publicist
This was a fun and silly picture book. I liked the humor that comes from a juxtaposition of modern technology and the old-fashioned delights of a book. In a series of questions, Monkey is asked what a book does - "How do you scroll down?" and "Can you blog with it?" I also really enjoyed the clean and simplistic illustrations and text. It is listed as for ages 4-8, though I'd go with school library journal's grades 3-5. I thought that it was perhaps not quite for kids from 4-6 years, what with the jackass jokes and hopefull kids that young will not be quite as familiar with texting and some kinds of technology. But, it is a fun book for kids a bit older and adults will also get a kick out of it. Be sure to check out the fun book trailer that goes with it.
Anything good for you this week?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Nice and Mean by Jessica Leader
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: June 2010
ISBN: 9781416991601
Source: ARC provided by author
Things I Liked:
It was a fun and interesting look at the life of tween girl politics. Marina simply annoyed for almost the entire book, but when she realized just what she was like, I liked that she tried to change. I also liked that it wasn't a total turnaround. She didn't turn into a sweet and nice girl in all ways, but she did manage to tone down her attitude. Sachi was the one I identified with, as I believe I was much like her. Quiet and easily walked over. [Hopefully I was nice, too!] I liked how she saw that she was that way and found small things to do to change that. It was an accurate if somewhat scary look at middle school girls. Scary, in that I really didn't remember being that obsessed with fashion, looks, and being so nasty when in seventh grade. Guess I am out of date.
Things I Didn't Like:
It was really slow moving. There didn't appear to be much in the way of plot, but it was more like a character development exercise than much of a story. I'm sure tween girls will enjoy the drama.
Read-alikes:
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
Shug by Jenny Han
I So Don't Do Makeup by Barrie Summy
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
mrg-factor: none
v-factor: none
Overall rating: ****
Am I the only one who seems to have blocked my junior high experience?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Listless Monday was inspired by both Amanda at A Bookshelf Monstrosity's feature Books by Theme and Court at Once Upon a Bookshelf's Listed feature. Be sure to check out their lists!
I love that none of these books is actually on the list, but they all have lips on the cover - I guess I'll have to do a list with books that have parts on their covers.
I thought it would make a fun sort of Halloween edition to list books that have body parts in their titles. Obviously, the content of the books might not be scary, but it could make a fun display. You know, a few hands here and a bone or two there. It was a fun list to create, anyway.
Body Parts Edition
Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones by Brandon Sanderson
The Skin Beneath by Nairne Holtz (suggested by Buried in Print)
Best Foot Forward by Joan Bauer
Big Mouth and Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates
Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Does My Head Look Big In This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah
The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev
Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald (suggested by Buried in Print)
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
The Golem's Eye by Jonathan Stroud
Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier
Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes
Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor
The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan
My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters by Sydney Salter
The New Moon's Arms by Nalo Hopkinson (suggested by Buried in Print)
Silent to the Bone by E.L. Konigsburg (suggested by Buried in Print)
Thief Eyes by Janni Lee Simner
The Third Eye by Lois Duncan
Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
The Twisted Heart by Rebecca Gowers (suggested by Buried in Print)
Any suggestions?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Gone by Michael Grant
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication date: June 2008
ISBN: 9780061448782
Source: Library
Things I Liked:
What an intense story! You can't put this one down, because it will still be sitting in your brain saying, "What happens next? What will they do? AH!" until you decide to pick it up again. It was fast-paced and things kept happening in very quick succession; there was definitely never a dull moment. I liked how it unfolded too, showing us a little at a time. It was also very scary to see just how kids will respond in the situation - it felt quite realistic in how it portrayed kids who are sadistic and power-hungry and those who are reluctant leaders. Interesting, frightening, and compelling. And making me need to grab the second one from the library soon!
Things I Didn't Like:
It really had me depressed, almost throughout the entire book. Sometimes I just didn't want to pick it back up because I didn't think I could handle any more bad stuff (but then I HAD to know what happened). It was also a touch too violent for my tastes, especially when I kept thinking about the ages of the children.
Read-alikes:
Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
surprisingly few, considering
mrg-factor: X
also not a lot, maybe a few suggestive parts
v-factor: ->->->->->
it is quite violent, some of it is graphic and disturbing
Overall rating: ****
Do you freak out sometimes looking at disaster-type books and wonder how you would respond in that situation?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Mistwood by Leah Cypess
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication date: May 2010
ISBN: 9780061956997
Source: Library
Things I Liked:
The story that unravels slowly, bit by bit, is fantastic. I loved having pieces dropped here and there, one at a time. Isabel was an interesting character - she would remember things and then try to reconcile the way she felt with those memories. There were quite a few surprises in store at the end that I really didn't see coming at all. I liked the twists and paths this story took to arrive at the end. I was even impressed with the unflinching ending that seemed inevitable, but that some writers might have avoided at all costs. Cypess was not afraid to make those choices for her ending. Great story, good strong fantasy debut. Some awesome quotes:
People did fight who lived in castles like these. Not with fists and feet and claws, but with words and whispers and influence...It was a fight, or rather a game, with many players and many rules and many strategies. p 14
She had thought, once, that nothing could terrify her as much as the thought of her prince dead. Now she knew there was something worse. He could live, but choose to do it without her. He could turn his back on her and make her useless. p 222
Things I Didn't Like:
Some of the fantasy elements could have used more explanation. Especially some of the stuff that happened at the end - it was very fast and sometimes unclear. I wish there had been more information about the shifter and what she was - not to mention especially the last time she stayed in the castle. Despite the explanation for that, I felt like I wasn't entirely sure what happened. Still, I look forward to more from Cypess, especially if there is more about Isabelle!
Read-alikes:
Fire by Kristin Cashore
Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
one or two
mrg-factor: none
v-factor: ->->
quite a few fight scenes, nothing overly graphic
Overall rating: ****
Speaking of awesome YA and MG books, have you gotten your Cybils nominations in yet? Nominations end October 15, and I know a lot of great books have already been nominated (including Mistwood), so hurry!
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Just wanted to mention (rather later than I should have) that I was featured on Carina of Reading Through Life's Reading Roots. It was posted on Tuesday, but for some reason I was thinking it was supposed to be today. Stop by to learn more about my mysterious reading past.
As a continued celebration of Banned Books Week, I thought that I'd give a short review of a challenged book I just reread and as a bonus, I've linked to reviews of other challenged books I've reviewed here previously. It turns out that I've read many more challenged and banned books before the blog than I have since starting it. I plan to work on that.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Publication date: December 1958
ISBN: 9780440995777 (mass market paperback)
Source: personal copy
Things I Liked:
This is probably at least the twentieth time I've read this book. It was one of the first books I remember reading and falling in love with. I still adore the way Speare brings to life what it was like to live in Puritan New England with all the prejudices and the inner strength of the people. I've always been a fan of Kit, both because she is unconventional and because she so obviously has flaws. She is just as set in her ways as her aunt and uncle are in theirs. I also noticed, on this read, how much more was going on in the book than I ever would have picked up on as a kid. There was the political discussions and religious undertones and prejudices and much more. I just love how well Speare has created a story that we enjoy and also slipped in bits of learning as well. Still so deserving of its Newbery award, I think. I assume it was challenged for the discussion of witchcraft. Rather ironic, I think, because there is no witchcraft that actually takes place in the book.
Things I Didn't Like:
I noticed also that the ending is so neat and perfect. While this is what made me love the book as a child, as an adult I find it just a little unrealistic. But, definitely still makes me happy.
Read-alikes:
The Bronze Bow or Calico Captive by Elizabeth George Speare
Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
mrg-factor: none
v-factor: ->
some minor incidents
Overall rating: *****
And, here are more reviews to help you get your Banned and Challenged Books fix:
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Holes by Louis Sachar
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Mississippi Trial, 1955 by Chris Crowe
Squashed by Joan Bauer
Stuck In Neutral by Terry Trueman
The View From Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
Most of these are taken from the list found at University of Illinois' list of challenged children's books.
How are you celebrating your freedom to read?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Nothing but Ghosts by Beth Kephart
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: July 2009
ISBN: 006166796X
Source: Library
Things I Liked:
This is a sweet story with a heart. I liked Katie as a character - she felt real, dealing with her grief and watching her dad deal with his. I especially loved the librarian, of course, who helped her find info while looking spectacular. The writing is absolutely lovely, though. Probably the best part about the whole book for me. I wasn't too interested in the mystery itself, more of why Katie felt compelled to figure it out and how that related to her grieving process.
"People come from all over to see my funky-looking, super-nerdy dad. Paintings arrive by crates, in trucks, on canvas rolls - favored paintings, paintings with stains and tears, paintings smoked all over by a fireplace fire or left in somebody's basement, forgotten by everything but the thick, black mold. He studies what comes through his pairs of glasses - the thousands of pairs he wears on his head or around his neck when they aren't on the bridge of his nose." p 4
"And maybe I don't know how you put regret inside a painting, maybe I can't figure out Miss Martine, maybe I can't really save my dad from sadness, but maybe so much time goes by that you start to understand how beauty and sadness can both live in one place." p 165
A woman has gone missing for fifty-three whole years. That's more than three of my lifetimes. And if I know where she is, maybe it will be easier to find my mother, or some way of living, of moving forward though she's gone. p 202
Things I Didn't Like:
It was a bit short. I thought that it ended very neatly and was a little too swift in wrapping things up. The ending even felt contrived - it almost didn't fit with the rest of the story. I wanted more about Katie's mother. But, I still enjoyed the book and look forward to more Kephart. I definitely preferred Dangerous Neighbors to this one.
Read-alikes:
Dangerous Neighbors by Beth Kephart
Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
maybe one or two
mrg-factor: X
a little implied stuff, not much
v-factor: none
Overall rating: ***
It seems like there are more good stories with ok writing than ok stories with good writing. Can you think of any?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Well, in case you missed it, I had my inaugural Name that Book post yesterday and it was a lot of fun! Apparently, most of you thought it was too easy (and judging by the number of correct guesses, I'm assuming you were right). So, I'll be adjusting some things to make some trickier ones in the future. But, the winner of that first game was:
KT! (who apparently just happened to be watching my feed at the exact second I pushed publish)
Thanks everyone who played along and I hope to see you back here in two weeks for another episode! [Oops. I forgot to tell you the answers! Book 1 was 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff and Book 2 was Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale.]
Now, on to something less light-hearted. It's officially Banned Books Week and though I don't really deal with this kind of problem in my own library, I hate to hear about it happening other places. There's been a recent challenge to Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and a few other books recently and frankly, I'm happy that there is so much attention on the book now. That book needs more exposure! That was the first book written specifically for teens that I remember picking up. It sparked my love of YA books which, if you notice the usual types of reviews around here, have become favorites of mine. Anyway, every woman at some point in her life (and I'm not one to say when that is because it's different for everyone) should read it.
I also wanted to do a little celebrating of banned books, since I signed up for the Banned Books Reading Challenge. I'm currently rereading The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth Speare which is an all-time favorite for me. I'm also hoping to read Blubber by Judy Blume and something John Green soon, though probably not this week.
I just wanted to clarify the difference between books that are challenged and books that are banned. A challenge is any formal (or sometimes informal) request for a book's place in a library or on a reading list to be reviewed. Essentially, this means someone lodges a complaint against a book. In many cases (thankfully), the books are not removed from the curriculum or library, because it is established that they have a justified place there. When a book is removed from a library or curriculum based on a challenge, that is when a book is considered banned. Obviously, there are many more challenged books than banned ones, but both lists are much too long. Check out University of Illinois' list of challenged children's books for an example of the huge number of challenged books.
I'll admit that I'm a particularly picky reader; I won't pick up books that I think will make me uncomfortable and I've put some down that I thought weren't right for me. But, no one (except for a parent) should decide what someone else should read.
Celebrate your freedom to read and pick up a banned book! What are you going to read?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Ivy's Ever After by Dawn Lairamore
Publisher: Holiday House
Publication date: May 2010
ISBN: 9780823422616
Source: review copy provided by publicist
Things I Liked:
It was a sweet story. I loved Ivy and the decisions she faces with difficulty and yet without shrinking from them. She was also pretty fun and spunky, entertaining in her efforts with Romil especially. I was really impressed that the book was not about romance. With a title like that, I was expecting a little love story. But, it managed to scrape by with just a hint and therefore was able to focus more on other kinds of relationships. I liked that Ivy decided she wasn't going to wait around in the tower and be rescued, but went out to fix things herself. Definitely not a typical damsel in distress. Elridge was a favorite of mine as well, even if his story and development was a little predictable. A fun, quick read for tween girls who can't get enough princesses and dragons.
Things I Didn't Like:
It seemed rather predictable. You could see almost everything coming from a mile away, but that might be my adult sensibilities and not how kids would read it.
Read-alikes:
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Reminded me of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
mrg-factor: none
v-factor: ->
a few dangerous situations, but nothing too scary
Overall rating: ****
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Since it is the first time and all, I think I will have some kind of bookish prize for the first person to correctly guess the two book titles. Please DO NOT put your guesses in the comments this time. Instead, enter them in the form found at the bottom. But, of course, feel free to comment about something other than the book titles, especially if you like the new game!
Book 1:
Book 2:
{Guessing is closed for this episode - come back in two weeks for another episode!}
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