Evermore - A New Novel

I finished The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and I'm very glad it's over.  The book is just not a happy book -- in fact, it's completely tragic -- and it's not like it ever appeared that it might end happily.  I really enjoyed the dog training and the discussion of training for companionship vs. work.  It gave me a new appreciation for my dog --and now I'm always wondering what she's thinking about her life, and what I ask of her.  They are so smart.  Anyway, I'm ready for something different!

And so, I'm going to read Evermore, by Alyson Noel, the first book in The Immortals series.  Looks like a fantasy -- a far cry from dog training and death (I hope.)

Queen's Fool Audiobook

I usually have an audiobook going that I have downloaded onto my iPod.  The problem with this is that the only time I listen is on car trips, which I used to have a lot of, but not so much anymore.  I just finished The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory, which I think I started about 9 months ago.  I took such a long break at one point that I got confused about where I was, so I checked the book out of the library to help me get it sorted out.  I've started to try to remember to listen while I am doing housework, but  you know "The Housework Isn't Getting Done!"

I really liked the book.  It's sort of an epic tale, that I might not have stuck out if it wasn't in audiobook form.  I love historical fiction, and this takes place in the middle 1500s, with all the turmoil of wars between France and England, the shaky position of the monarchy and all the subterfuge about who gets the throne, and of course the burnings at the stake.  Seems you had to change your religious beliefs according to who the current monarch was in order to survive.  The story includes lots of infidelity among the court, which I suppose was true, and also contributed to making the successor to the throne somewhat questionable.

The main character in the story is Hannah, whose mother was burned at the stake in France because they were Jewish.  She and her father escaped to London to begin a new life as "Catholics."  Hannah, because she has the ability to "see" certain future events, ends up in service to Queen Mary.  Hannah eventually is betrothed and married, and the story is really of her life, but with much historical detail.

The reader speaks with an English accent, so every time I stopped listening, I was prone to talking with an accent!  It's part of her "Boleyn" series and I think there's 4 books in the series, this one isn't the first, but it didn't really matter.  I may put some others on my audiobook list.

Finished!

I finished Hold Tight, and what a tangled web!  Not like his other books -- not so much suspense but more curiosity about how this is all gonna end. Lots of characters, but I didn't find it difficult to follow.   Loved it.  Recommended, as all of Coben's books are.

I'm back to Edgar . . .

Book Interrupted

I took a break from Edgar Sawtelle.  I'm really enjoying the book, but its "literary" and doesn't have much action.  I felt myself getting antsy for the next book, so I decided to go ahead and read something else -- something quick.  So, to meet the "action" criteria, I'm reading Harlan Coben's Hold Tight.  I've never been disappointed in a Coben book -- if you haven't read him, you should give it a try.  I think part of the reason I get impatient with "adult" books is that the majority of my reading falls into the young adult category.  Coben is an adult writer but has great appeal for young adults.  At least one of his books has been on the "Abe Lincoln" list -- the high school book award for Illinois students. (See my Animoto slide show at the bottom of this page to see this year's nominees.)

I've already read 150 pages, and of course am enthralled, so it won't be long until I'm back to Edgar.

New book

I really enjoyed Gentlemen.  As an educator, it reminded me that we really can't know what's going on in teenagers' minds when we only see them one hour per day, and then only within a group setting.  We also need to realize that they don't always have a realistic impression of their teachers -- their thoughts about teachers are influenced by all of their prior educational experiences.  Scary things can happen when these misconceptions contribute to an already stressful situation.

I'm now reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewksi.  It was recommended to me by a friend that knows I'm a dog lover.  I already know I'm going to have to recommend it to my husband.  So far, I know it's about a boy who was born mute and the special relationship he has with his dog.  It's an "Oprah Book" which doesn't usually do anything for me, but just thought I'd mention it.

A New Book

I finished Epic, and I've spent a while thinking about why I really didn't like it.  It's an adventure story, but I didn't get the buildup of tension as I was reading it.  It seemed more like they had three different adventures that they completed.  For example, in The Knife of Never Letting Go, the kids just kept getting deeper and deeper into more and more problems and the tension built up to the end (where we are left HANGING for the second book, which I wasn't happy about, but that's another story.)  In this book, I just kept waiting to see what happened, so that I could get on to my next book.  Which I have done . . .

Gentlemen, by Michael Northrop.  I love this cover--that's what drew my attention.  It's interesting because when I was searching for an image of this book, I came upon a blog by the author of how this cover was chosen.  He's lucky the folks at Scholastic are so smart, because the final product is MUCH better than the original one.  Anyway, the premise of the book is that a high school boy from "the wrong side of the tracks" disappears and his friends begin to suspect their weird remedial English teacher.  They are reading Crime and Punishment (yea, I know that would never happen in a remedial English class) and that definitely influences their conclusions about their missing friend.  It's a unique premise, a quick read, and a good book for boys. 

New Book Time

I really liked Jenna Fox, but I'm not sure why.  It was certainly far-fetched, but I guess it was believable enough that it kept me engaged.  I really didn't figure out what was going on until it was revealed, which I guess was also part of the entertainment.  It is a quick read, and even though a bit sci-fi, it does begin to explore some moral issues.

Now I am going to read The China Study:  The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted, by T. Colin Campbell, and Thomas M. Campbell II.  We have been trying to eat healthier -- given our high cholesterol and my husband's recent diagnosis if diabetes, so I thought maybe this book, recommended by a friend, would help motivate me.

The next book . . .

I loved Splendor, of course.  I just love historical fiction, then you add romance to that and I'm there!  I wasn't totally happy with the ending, but still was a very entertaining read.

Now I'm reading The Adoration of Jenna Fox.  17-year-old girl wakes from a coma after a year and has to re-learn everything about herself.  She doesn't remember her family and can't feel emotion.  But something else is going on . . . .

Thank God I'm starting a new book .. .

Before I Die was heartwrenching.  It was a very well-written book that dealt with a teenager's fight through a terminal illness in a very realistic way.  I could feel her emotions, and the romance made it all the more tender.  Be warned, though.  You will cry -- for quite a while at the end of the book.

And now for something lighter -- Spendor, by Anna Godbersen, the fourth book in The Luxe series.  I love historical romance, and I loved the first three books in this series, so I'm looking forward to this one!

Another book started ...

What to say about Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society?  It was wonderful.  A very feel-good, uplifting book, but also sad.  It tells of a period of time and a place during and just after WWII that few people know about.  Definitely recommended reading.

I've started  Before I Die, by Jenny Downham, and I suspect it won't be quite as uplifting.  It's about a dying 16-year-old girl who has a list of things to do before she dies -- the first is to have sex, of course.  The flap says its "uplifting, life-affirming, joyous" so maybe I'll be surprised.