Smoke and Earthquakes

I came all the way to Monterey to get away from the fires and smoke (well actually for a conference for work) and what happens... an earthquake, go figure.

There will be more on the conference later!

September and some October

More books, sorry folks I am still trying to catch up! So we will start off with Pride and Prejudice, most everyone is familiar with the story or has even seen the movie. I liked the book. I also tried to watch the much lauded BBC (with Colin Firth) video version of the movie but honestly it was sooo boring I didn’t make it through. The book is good though and I am glad I read it.

Now for the September books. We will start with The Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles. Deborah Wiles has become one of my favorite children’s authors and this book did not disappoint. It is a story of baseball, prejudice, family and life. Next is Jinx by Meg Cabot, Jinx is a girl who is sent from the Midwest to live with her relatives in New York after a problem got out of hand at home. While Jinx is trying to adjust to the City, her new school and her cousins, she makes a startling discovery about her families witch past, another good Meg Cabot story. Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson concludes the three part series of DNA hybrid kids and their battle to bring down those who made and tortured them, all they want is to try and live a normal life, well as normal as can be given they all have wings and can fly. The best book of this series was still the first one, but this one provided many answers that had been asked throughout the series.

Homefront by Doris Gwaltney takes place in rural Virginia, 12 year old Margaret Ann just wants to finally have a room of her own and just when it looks like she is going to get it her cousin arrives from England, having fled the London blitz of WWII. This is a good story and I think realistically tells the story of what happed to families during this War, Margaret Ann goes through the usual jealousy and acceptance of the “outsider” that is typical of this type of book. Lord of the Flies by William Golding is just one of those “classics” you should read, or so I though. What a story, oh my, I listened to the audio version and there were times I just wanted to turn it off. It is an example of what can happen to society with no rules. I am glad I read it but probably wouldn’t go through it again. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray was another interesting book. It was not quite what I had expected but I still liked it, it is much more of a fantasy book than I normally read. A young girls mother is killed and she is sent to live in England from India, while in school there she discovers she has magical powers and can visit another world.

In October (so far…) one of the first books I read was Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer. This book continues the story of Edward the vampire and Bella and Jake the werewolf. I was not too impressed with this book, your really want to knock some sense into Bella for making such stupid choices, plus the agonizing of the choice between Edward and Jake begins to wear a reader down. I will continue to read the series but I hope the next one is better. I saw a movie preview of Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. After reading the book I am not too impressed with the preview but the book was really good. It is the story of Lyra Belacqua who sets out to find out why so many children including her best friend are being kidnapped, the armored bear was my favorite character.

Ok that’s enough for today... but I will continue again soon!

Wedding Slide Show

I have not gotten pictures yet, but my photographer has put together a little slide show

http://web.mac.com/dougquirk/iWeb/Site/Wedding%20Slideshow%203_2.html

Books update

I decided it was time to catch up here with my readings. Airborn by Kenneth Opel is a book that would appeal to boys. I met the author at one of the ALA events which is why I wanted to read the book, a good story about Matt who lives and works on an airship and has an adventure looking for a mysterious winged creature. Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock continues the story of D.J. her changing relationship with Brian and what she goes through after her brother suffers a major football injury, another good sequel.

Rachel Cohn wrote Gingerbread and Shrimp and now continues the story with Cupcake. The third part of the story continues with Cyd moving in with her brother in New York after graduation and her breakup with Shrimp. Richard Peck writes the quaintest story that I love, Here Lies the Librarian is one of those stories. Set in a small town where the librarian has died under the reference desk clutching cards from the card catalog of course, it is decided that a new librarian must be found. PeeWee, a tomboy meets the four new young librarians arrive they have an impact on her life and the town. Theodora Twist by Melissa Senate is the story of pop princess and emerging bad girl Theodora Twist. When the idea for a reality tv show comes up that will send Theodora back to her small home town to live like a “normal” girl things get a little crazy. The book alternates between Theodora and the girl she is living with Emily. It turns out they have a lot in common and can both learn something from one another.

Enna Burning and Austenland are both by Shannon Hale. Enna Burning is a story that takes place in the same region as several other Hale books. Enna develops the ability to control fire and works to help her friend Princess Isi protect their Country from foreign invaders. Austenland is an adult novel which is about a woman obsessed with Pride and Prejudice, this is affecting her ability to form real relationships. Her deceased relative sends her to Austinland to live out her fantasy and find her Mr Darcy, if she can.

Laurie Halse Anderson has made quite a name for herself as a YA author. Twisted is LHA’s most recent book and tells the story of a young man who does the right thing but is accused and punished anyway. Speak is a fairly well known story of a young girls who has something happen to her and for the most part stops talking. The endings of both these books make it worth going through what can sometimes be hard subject matter.

I will stop here for now on my journey to finally catch up here. I think there are some really great books out there though. The YA genera is really picking up and getting quality writers and stories.