Wow, Wow, Wow! Neverwhere by Gaiman

How in the world did I miss this book?!  Gaiman's Neverwhere is one of the most incredible books I've ever read! In this book, Gaiman creates a fantastic world that blends what is real with fantasy. It is set in Upper London and Lower London. Upper London is very much the modern London that we know today; Lower London is a fantastical place that takes the London landmarks and Underground stations to a different place.
The characters include the Lady Door who has a talent for opening doors (real and created), Richard Mayhew (Upper Londoner) who is a very ordinary guy who loses his Upper London life when he helps Door when she is bleeding on a London street, Marquis de Carabas is a crafty fellow who seemingly has everyone owing him favors, Hunter is the legendary hunter/bodyguard and she is a badass, and finally Mr. Croup and Vandemar-- the badies of the story. Croup and Vandemar are working for someone out to get Lady Door.

The story cannot be beat-- it is a marvel. Gaiman is a even better than I thought. 

Books, books, more books!

Like I said earlier, I've been reading up a storm.  There has been no rhyme or reason for my particular selections, just random reading choices.  It's been sublime.
A couple of weeks ago, I read two books that just brought me to tears. I can't remember the last time that happened.

First, I read The Fault in Our Stars by the uber-fabulous John Green. Let me start by saying this is not your run-of-the-mill girl with cancer book. What really makes this book soar for me, is the dialogue and the voice Green has created. Each character is fully realized and is so well drawn. Every emotion that is expressed is s sincere and true to life. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I will say this book is very well done. It moved me in ways I didn't anticipate. Hazel and Augustus are characters who will stay within you long after you've finished reading this book.




I started reading my next book on the plane from the American Library Association MidWinter Conference in Dallas in January. I had to put it down on the airplane because I couldn't contain my tears. Jo Knowles' See You at Harry's is such a sweet, tender story. I literally cried from page 72 to 220.  It is a heartbreaking tale of life and loss. The protagonist is 12-year-old Fern who is seemingly invisible in her world/family. Fern is the middle child. Her brother, Holden, is 15 and fending off the bullies who continuously pick on him because he is gay (the fact that he hasn't acknowledged this does not matter to his enemies), older sister Sarah works in the family diner, and baby Charlie, 3, is the tie that binds them all together. I loved the characters in the book, each one is fully realized. The diner is the ideal backdrop for the story. To the kids, it is an albatross around their necks--because every harebrained scheme their father cooks up just means more teasing at school. Middle school can be hell you know.
This book shows how love and loss can co-exist. This is a book that will make you laugh, cringe, and cry.

Post Printz Reading

Now that my Printz reading experience is over, I've been all over the place!  Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the Printz books (especially The Scorpio Race by Stiefvater, Where Things Come Back by Whaley, and Jasper Jones by Silvey).

In fact, each of these titles has really haunted me throughout the winter. But I did receive for Christmas a book that I had asked for called An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff. It was another good book, that shows the power of love. In some ways it really reminded me of Tattoos on the Heart by Father Greg Boyle.
The story, told by Schroff, detailed her meeting a young homeless boy and followed their friendship over the years. As I read, she related story after story about how she met Maurice (an 11-year-old panhandler) on the streets of New York. A busy professional doesn't usually stop to talk to street people, in fact most people walk right by them without any acknowledgment. She later said that an invisible thread connected them and pulled her to him on that fateful Monday.
What becomes so clear upon reading this book is the real problem for Maurice-- it is the poverty, and drug-fueled world he survives. Yet, he never gives up. So much of that is related to his connection to Laura Schroff. She shows him a different life.
One story touched me so deeply- it was when she realized that he didn't have meals except at school. She began making his lunch and leaving it for him at the front desk of her apartment building. He wanted it to be in a brown bag, because it meant someone loved him. She never thought about a brown bad and what it could signify...neither did I. Little things that we take for granted were not in Maurice's reality.
This beautiful story is such an inspiration; it serves to remind us all that everyone deserves to be "seen." Taking a moment to acknowledge one's humanity is key, and for some, it may be the only time they are noticed.  

The Joys of Summer --- reading and more reading!

I have been reading voraciously all summer!  I cannot remember another time period in my adult life where I've simply been reading this much. As a school girl, I read all the time.  It was the perfect escape from real life. I read like there was no tomorrow-- I even read the Mrs. Pollifax story collection in my aunt and uncle's Reader's Digest Collections.  Yep, I was that desperate for reading materials- we lived in the country and libraries were far, far away.
I am currently reading Women Food and God by Geneen Roth. I am hoping that this will change my life. I am sick of being unhealthy and tired of dieting. The time is now to get to the bottom of it all, once and for all.
This morning I finished another Young Adult book, Girl Stolen, by April Henry. It was an interesting little book about a girl who is blind and has been accidentally kidnapped. I think it would make a good selection for YALSA's Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers.
I literally have a mammoth stack by the bed right now. I just have to figure out what I'm in the mood for this time. I think I'll get going on Fallout by Ellen Hopkins first. It is an ARC and I've been interested to see where she takes these characters. It is the third in the Glass series. This one looks particularly good- the protagonist is Kristina's illegitimate son, now age 19. We'll see the effects of her bad choices I'm sure. It is sure to be a winner with the reluctant readers I know.
Next, up is I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER by Dan Wells. The main character is John Wayne Cleaver and his family is in the mortuary business. He is obsessed with serial killers and basically is the school freak. That should be an interesting read-- it looks funny and I have a great affinity for geeks and freaks!

So many good books, so hard to keep up the blog!

The Help by Stockett
This book was fantastic! It captured the essence of the 1960s and the Civil Right's Movement from the perspective of the household help in Mississippi. The books is told from 3 different viewpoints which makes it all the more powerful. One society lady and two housemaids take on the system. It is only after the tragic death of Medgar Evers that a total of 17 housemaids come forward and risk their lives to tell their story; only a "special" pie saves their lives in this Mississippi hotbed.



The Sweet By and By by Todd Johnson
This multi-person narrative is set in the south and is a wonderful story of love, loss, and the power of friendship. It made me laugh and cry. You will love these southern women. You will share their hopes, dreams, and grief.
My favorite moment was when the little old ladies, Margaret and Bernice, escape from their nursing home and their adventure took them to Tastee Freez for banana splits, hitching a ride to Raleigh (an hour away), and a sleepover at the Hilton. I like to think of it as one part Steel Magnolias and one part Driving Miss Daisy.

Prayers For Sale
This is one of those books you just can't stop reading. It is another book where love and loss features prominently throughout the book.
It features Hennie Comfort a long-time resident of an old mining camp in Colorado. She's lived there for more than 70 years and expects to die there. Young newlywed Nit Spindle approaches Hennie after noticing the sign outside her home proclaiming that prayers are for sale. Nit leaves a nickel (a fortune at that time - early 1900s and asks Hennie to pray for her daughter who died.
Hennie and Nit become friendly. Nit is lonely and Hennie senses this and welcomes the girl like her own daughter. Hennie shares her many stories of the camp and her life. Woven throughout the stories is their love of quilting and survival in the harsh wilds of Colorado at the turn of the century.
Although I found it somewhat predictable at times, it was a delight and there were a few surprises along the way. I really enjoyed this book.

Good books

As stated previously I've been a lazy blogger. But all I can do is keep at it and try to make amends. On that note, I'll share a few reviews on some YA novels that I've read lately (one is a re-read).

Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Bray's novel, Going Bovine is insanely funny and truly remarkable. It is unlike any book I've read to date. It features 16 year-old Cameron Smith as the angsty protagonist who has the great misfortune of contracting mad cow disease. Bray use of voice is masterful and she gives Cameron the means to share his experience. It is a wild trip with a little person named Gonzo, a talking yard gnome named Balder, fire giants, and the Wizard of Reckoning. Cameron is guided by a punk-style angel named Dulcie.
This book is funny, sad, and quirky. It is on my list of must-reads for 2009.

A HUGE must read for 2009 is Suzanne Collins' Catching Fire. This follow up to the wildly successful Hunger Games is even better than the first title. This is quite a feat; The Hunger Games was a well crafted novel.
Catching Fire picks right up after Katniss' success in the Games. She has returned home to what is supposed to be a life of luxury as a winning tribute. But an easy life it will not be, the authorities announce that in honor of the games' 75th anniversary they will do the unthinkable and bring back all the previous winners to compete in the arena. The Capitol is reeling from a growing uprising throughout the various districts and needs to tighten their grip and control the people.
Once again Peeta and Katniss must do the impossible. This book continues to astound me. I literally woke up in the middle of the night AFTER I had finished it because I couldn't stop thinking about the story and what had happened.

Taken by Norah McClintock is a novel from Orca Publishing. This title is great for reluctant readers. It is a short book but unlike Orca's old format it is in the trade paperback size and has a great cover that is sure to grab their attention.
The novel opens up with Stephanie returning home from a day in the city. Despite offers of a ride home and concerns that a murderer is at large she decides to walk home. On the walk home, she is followed and brought down with an injection and awakens to find herself tied up in dirty shack in the middle of nowhere.
She has to find a way out or end up like the girls who disappeared before her. There is a huge twist that will leave YA readers stunned.

That's it for today. I'll set my calendar for later in the week and add some new books. I've been reading like a maniac.

Getting back into blogging

Well, I've been a lazy, lazy blogger for a very long time. I'm ready to blog again.

Here's what I've been reading:
Columbine (Cullen) - still in progress

Quick Pick nominations I just finished:
Strange Angels (St. Crow)
Something, Maybe (Scott)
Just Another Hero (Draper)
The Chosen One (Williams)
Breathless (McDaniel)
Jumped (Williams-Garcia)
Perfect Chemistry (Ellekeles)
Vans: Off the Wall - Stories of Sole from Vans

Pleasure reading I just finished:
Pat Conroy's South of Broad
Catching Fire (Collins)