Annette's Book Spot

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

2012 "Books You Can Read in a Day" Reading Challenge

You can grab this button for your post. If you want to link back to this post, copy the code from the button on the sidebar.

Lately I seem to have a lot of little, short books that are being added to my TBR. And there are also some old classics that are short that I still haven't found time to read. So....I got to thinking....I should challenge myself. And, so of course, I'm going to offer the challenge to you too.

What can you read in a day? Well, that's kind of up to you to decide. I don't want to be too rigid about this -- it's supposed to be fun. Most of the books I've chosen are less than 200 pages. However, if it's a novel in verse, it could be longer. Any size graphic novel will probably work. And, if you don't make it in a day, don't beat yourself up. You can still count it if it takes a little longer (not, of course, if it takes several days, though.)

P.S. If anyone wants to help me out with some better buttons for this contest, feel free!

Rules:

You don't need a blog to participate. But you probably need a Goodreads, Shelfari, or LibraryThing account. Someplace you keep track.

Audio (if you can listen in a day) and ebooks are OK.

Books must be adult, YA, or middle school books. No children's or picture books allowed.

No re-reads, however you can count books read for this challenge towards other challenges in which you are participating

Copy the button, create a sign up post and post the link below.

Not required, but very helpful if you would follow my blog. That way, when I do update posts, you will be aware so you can link to them.

Please post at least a few books that you intend to read for this challenge (that my help others add to their lists), but feel free to update your list as the year goes on.

Challenge goes from January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Levels:

Level 1 - Read 15 books

Level 2 - Read 25 books

Level 3 - Read 35 books

Level 4 - Read 50+ books

I am going for Level 2, but I need another book. I'm hoping I'll get some ideas from all of you. These are in no particular order. (update: I found a 25th book!)

1. Animal Farm by Orwell
2. Locomotion by Woodson
3. And then There Were None by Christie
4. From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by Konigsburg
5. The Alchemist by Coehlo
6. This is What I Did by Ellis
7. Fallout by Hopkins
8. The Giver by Lowry
9. Sean Griswold's Head by Leavitt
10. Blank Confession by Hautman
11. If I Grew Up by Strasser
12. Fall For Anything by Summers
13. How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Standiford
14. Jumped by Williams-Garcia
15. Beetle Meets Destiny by Williams
16. Chasing Brooklyn by Schroeder
17. Scars by Ranfield
18. Things a Brother Knows by Reinhardt
19. Prince of Mist by Ruiz-Zafon
20. I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Schroeder
21. Skellig by Almond
22. Tighter by Griffin
23. Trapped by Northrop
24. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Wilde
25. A Monster Calls by Ness

Book Review: Friendship Bread, by Darien Gee

I know this phrase is overused, but Friendship Bread was the epitome of "heartwarming." I wanted to curl up by a fire with a cup of coffee and a piece of friendship bread the whole time I was reading.

Gee writes about a fictitious town, Avalon, Illinois. This is a small town with the usual small town problems. Gossip, struggling businesses, never forgetting a tragedy, family problems, and holding grudges are all themes in this story.

There are lots of characters, but the main ones are Julia who has lost her son because of a bee sting allergy. This happened while her son was with his aunt Livvy, Julia's sister, and therefore these sisters are estranged. Madeline, the widow who runs the Avalon Tea House and has no family is also a prominent figure in the book. And, Hannah, a concert cellist who can't perform any more because of an injury and whose husband has left her and moved to Chicago is our third primary figure.

These unlikely characters come together because of a mysterious bag of friendship bread starter that appears on Julia's porch one morning, along with a loaf of friendship bread. If you aren't familiar with the concept of friendship bread: someone gives you the starter, you take care of it and add to it for 10 days, then you bake with part of it, and divide the rest up and give bags of starter (with the recipe) to your friends (which may soon be your enemies.) It's basically like a chain letter with bread.

Gee then intricately introduces us to many different characters in Avalon and weaves them together as friendship bread is passed around the town. Suffice it to say, that the bread baking brings everyone together, and together they are stronger. Fences are mended, and the spirits of the town are lifted.

I know, it sounds kind of hokey, and this book is not my usual fare, but I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. It didn't feel too sappy to me, which is the problem I have with some of these books. I did think the volume of the bread baking at the end was a bit over the top, but that's forgivable.

There are recipes included. My family did the "friendship bread thing" many years ago. I've just got to try it again--how can I not? So, beware if you read this book -- baking may be a side effect!

I'm probably not going to recommend this one to my teens, but I will pass it around my family and friends. I think they will love it as much as I did (and then hopefully they will want some of my friendship bread starter so I can get rid of it!)

Published by Ballantine, April 5, 2011
Copy obtained from Border's going out of business sale :(
400 pages (qualifies for my 350 Page Book Challenge!)

Rating: 4/5

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Book Review: Saving June, by Hannah Harrington

Saving June is a worthy addition to the substantial list of contemporary teen novels dealing with grief after losing a loved one.

In this case, Harper’s older sister, June, has committed suicide just before her high school graduation. This has been a shock to everyone, since June was popular and appeared to be happy. At June’s memorial, Harper meets Jake, who has a mysterious connection to June. Harper soon discovers there’s a side to June she was unaware of.

June’s dream was to go to college in California, so Harper, along with her best friend Laney and Jake decide to steal June’s ashes and take them to California. Harper’s parents, who are recently divorced, had decided to split the ashes among the two of them. (I really can’t believe that. I can’t imagine anyone thinking that is a good solution….) This is unacceptable to Harper as well, and the fact that her aunt has decided to move in with Harper and her mom also sends her reeling. Harper really can’t stand her aunt.

So, this is a road trip story with several interesting side trips—one to St. Louis, where I am from, so that has a special appeal to me. The characters are great, even the side characters that they meet along the way. I believed Harper’s grief, and really thought Harrington did a great job of getting us inside her head. Laney was a great, although unlikely, best friend, and the addition of the mysterious Jake kept me easily turning the pages. I thought Harper’s dealing with her unhappiness by running away with June was a realistic scenario, given the situation.

The only part that left me a little disappointed was the secret that Jake is keeping, which is revealed towards the end of the book. I didn’t buy it. I don’t think he would have kept this secret—it didn’t make sense to me. It makes for a dramatic ending, though.

And…I will still recommend this to my contemp fans. I think they will really like this, especially if they enjoyed 13 Reasons Why, Fall for Anything, Hold Still, or Before I Die.

Published by Harlequin, November 22, 2011
eBook obtained for review from NetGalley
336 pages

Rating: 3.5/5

Monday, November 14, 2011

Monday Memories: Moby Dick

Welcome to my meme, Monday Memories, where I feature favorite books we've loved from the past. You can link to an old review, or write something new about a beloved book from your past. Really, what's important is not the book, but why it is memorable to you. So, have fun reminiscing, and leave a comment below, so we can all enjoy your memories.

I also wanted to let you know about another wonderful blog that you should check out. Ashley @ Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing does a weekly post called Memory Monday. She has been posting about her childhood memories of books. What's great about Ashley's site is that she is asking for guest posts for her Memory Monday event! So hop on over there and check it out.

When I was in college, many students had to read Moby Dick for various literature classes they took. I did not. However, I decided I SHOULD read it, so I trudged through it. Before I read the book, I knew the basic premise -- Captain Ahab nuts about killing the big white whale that was his nemesis. Now, about 20 years after the reading of this huge tome, that's about all I can remember. The book didn't leave a big impression. I remember thinking it was extremely overly descriptive. At something like 700 pages, it was a long book. But I got through it. And today I can say I read it. Whoo hoo!

How about you? Any extremely long, old classics you want to discuss?

Share one of your cherished book memories!

You can do a Monday Memories post on your blog. Copy my button and link back here, so others can see all the other posts. Leave a comment below with the link to your post.

Or, just leave one of your Monday Memories right here in the comments.

Be sure to visit some other blogs that have posted their links. Thanks!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Sunday Ramblings....

We've just returned from a wonderful camping trip, and it's that time of year again. This will be the last trip until next Spring, so it's always a bit depressing when it's time to winterize and cover the camper until next year.

Mollie LOVES camping. She gets a lot of attention, and walks, and treats. It's heaven for her.

While we were out, we had very slow internet, so while I was able to read a lot of blog posts, I had to save a bunch of them that I wanted to comment on. So, I'm going to try to get caught up with that this evening, as well as read all of your posts from today.

I hope you have a great week, and as always, Happy Reading!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Book Review: Death Watch, by Ari Berk

Death Watch is a long book. I found the book very interesting, but not compelling. I never wanted to not finish, but when a book is compelling, I will sacrifice doing other things to read it. This one was just a book to read in my spare time. (It took me a week to read this -- that's unheard of.)

Silas doesn't know what happened to his father, Amos. He thinks his father is a mortician, whose job takes him away at times, but one time he just never returns. Silas' mother decides they need to move in with his uncle (Amos' brother) back in Lichport where Silas was born, and where his parents grew up. There Silas will discover that his father was an Undertaker, which is NOT a mortician. I don't want to give too much away, but let's just say he helps people move on after their death.

His uncle is one of the most creepy, sinister people I've ever read. As a matter of fact, all the characters are superbly written -- they are the best part of the book.

So Silas figures out that his uncle is up to something, possibly having to do with his father's disappearance. His mother is a drunk, so she's no help. He meets Mrs. Bowe and discovers his father owns a house, which Silas moves into. Mrs. Bowe also gives him his father's death watch, which allows the owner to see everything in the spiritual world when the hands are pressed.

There are many other characters that assist Silas in his quest to find out what happened to his father. Several of them are ghosts. Berk is a master at giving the reader just enough questions to keep turning the pages, then as soon as we think we might be figuring things out, there are more questions. The plot, also left nothing to be desired. The portrayal of the afterlife is intriguing, and could stimulate rich discussions.

The problem is with the pacing. There were times when some of the details had me glazing over. I really think a big hunk of this book could be edited, and not only would it make it a better book, it would make it more appealing to teens. I have very few teens that would have the patience to get through this book, and that's unfortunate, because is it really a very creative story, in a creative world, with really exceptional characters.

Published by Simon & Schuster, November 15, 2011
eBook ARC obtained from GalleyGrab
523 pages (qualifies for my 350 Page Book Challenge!)

Rating: 2.5/5

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday - Perception

This week, I decided to do a WOW post, because I really enjoyed Clarity, and I can't wait for this one:

Perception, by Kim Harrington

Anticipated publication: March 1, 2012

When you can see things others can't, what happens when someone is watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only, Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared. Clare needs to see her way to the truth -- before it's much too late.

Thanks to Jill at Breaking the Spine for hosting WOW! What are you waiting on? I'm looking forward to your posts.

Monday, November 7, 2011

DNF Book Thoughts - The Book of Lost Souls, by Michelle Muto

I must admit that The Book of Lost Souls was a book that I didn't enjoy enough to finish. I read half the book, and then set it aside. Maybe the reasons I didn't enjoy it won't bother you, so let me explain.

The book was very simply written. Sometimes too simply. I have complained before about too much description, but this was the opposite. There wasn't really a setting. I couldn't picture the characters. This may be a book better suited to younger readers for this reason.

There are quite a few characters. They are introduced very quickly at the beginning. I eventually was able to remember who was who, but it was a bit confusing at first.

This book was light and cute -- but dealt with scary stuff. The incongruity grated on me. I'm not talking about comic relief from tense situations. I never felt the tension, but I think I was supposed to.

I couldn't stand the love triangle. Ivy (the main character) just went ON and ON about two boys -- Dean who Ivy was attracted to, and Nick who was attracted to Ivy. Ugghhhh. It was way to obvious to me which one she belonged with. (Remember I didn't finish the book, so I might be wrong.) She was kind of slow on the uptake -- another reason this might appeal to younger readers.

I liked that this was a town full of witches, wizards, werewolves, demons, vampires, and "regulars." And for the most part they coexisted peacefully. This was an interesting premise, and then people start being murdered and I was intrigued. I just couldn't get through the other problems I had with the book to care enough about solving the mystery.

Published by Dreamscapes Ink, March, 2011
Ebook purchased for my Kindle
392 KB

Rating: DNF

Sunday, November 6, 2011

IMM - Fairly Quiet Week

Thanks to Kristi, the Story Siren, for hosting this weekly activity again!

I had a fairly quiet week, but the few that I got were exciting to me!

eBooks for Review:

Death Watch, by Ari Berk, from Simon & Schuster's Galley Grab

Hallowed, by Cynthia Hand from NetGalley

From the Library:

The Iron King, by Julie Kagawa

I've heard so many good things about this series, I thought it was time to get to it!

I've also signed up for the Book Blogger Holiday Swap. Click on the link to find out information and sign up! I did this last year, and it was great fun.

Hope you had a great book week! I'm looking forward to checking out your loot. Thanks for visiting and please come again!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Book Review: Dark Souls, by Paula Morris

Dark Souls was an entertaining ghost story with cute characters and a thrilling ending.

Miranda and her brother Rob have been in a tragic auto accident where Miranda's best and only friend, Jenna, was killed. Both of them are having difficulty getting over this event. Rob, because he was trapped in the car, is now extremely claustrophobic, and Miranda sees ghosts. Jenna was the first ghost that Miranda saw -- as she walked away from the accident. Now Miranda sees ghosts everywhere.

The family needs a vacation, and Miranda's dad decides to take them to York, England, where he will present a paper on Richard III. Her mother is going to conduct an orchestra that will present a concert in the Minster, a 1000 year old building.

So, Rob and Miranda are on their own for much of the week they spend in England. Fortunately, Rob meets Sally and falls head over heals for her. Miranda sees ghosts, of course, and meets Nick, a boy who can also see ghosts.

But there's more to Nick's story, as well as Sally's which all comes together in a climactic ending including a ghost with a grudge that had me turning the pages at a rapid pace. This book was easy to read, so the pages really flew by for the entire book. The pacing is excellent -- there's never a dull moment. Morris wrote enjoyable main characters and the minor characters were well done too. The story is a perfect mix of the macabre and a thoughtful "troubled teens" story. The supernatural ghost sightings were believable and chilling.

The only problem I had was with the setting. I had a difficult time envisioning York, having never been there. Something about walls, and these walls close every evening. I don't understand. Do people walk on top of the walls, and that's the part that gets closed? I don't think they actually lock people in the city, do they? I couldn't picture these "snickelways" which apparently are like narrow alleys. I could feel the open air markets and the crowded streets that don't allow cars, but I didn't understand some of the details. This didn't really deter from my enjoyment of the story; I'm just curious.

I can recommend this quick, thrilling read to many teens. I believe the book has some appeal to boys, but this is mostly a girl book. Teens who like an adventure mixed with a supernatural mystery will enjoy this tale. This isn't a book that will stick with me forever, but I enjoyed the time I spent with these characters.

Published by Point
Copy won from Heidi @ YA Bibliophile
292 pages

Rating: 3/5