Archive for September, 2009
Next Entries »Library Loot #35
Submitted by Book Nut
Ah, the ebb and flow of library usage: some weeks the big bag doesn’t even hold all the books. Other weeks, you come away with a teeny-tiny amount because you know if you bring home more books, then you won’t have any more room on the dresser.
And because your daughter just [...]
The Beef Princess of Practical County
Submitted by Book Nut
by Michelle Houts
ages: 9-12
First sentence: “The arena glowed in the summer night.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
One of the most told stories in fiction is the one where a kid — boy or girl — has something to prove (to theirself or others), and overcomes odds (no matter how small) [...]
Babymouse: Dragonslayer
Submitted by Book Nut
by Jennifer Holm and Matthew Holm
ages: 8+
First sentence… oops… didn’t write it down (you’ll see why in a minute)
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Today, I took M across town to Barnes and Noble so she could spend a giftcard she got for her birthday. And while she was killing time [...]
Library Habits Meme
Submitted by Book Nut
Okay, enough of YA angst… moving on to a meme I saw at Bookworm 4 Life (since I’m in the middle of two books, and I don’t think they’ll be done before tomorrow…):
1.If you don’t frequent your local library, why not?
Why wouldn’t one frequent your local library? Really?
2. If you do visit [...]
The Sunday Salon – Books and Brats
Submitted by BOOKS ON THE BRAIN
Ahhhh, the end of a very long week. Happy Sunday! Today I’ve broken my post up into two sections, for those who would just like to read about books rather than all the nonsense that goes on with my kids. So the first section is books, and the second section [...]
Review: The Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama
Submitted by BOOKS ON THE BRAIN
The Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama is a sweet and funny new book. Set in modern day India, it is the story of Mr. Ali, a newly retired man with too much time on his hands. I got a good laugh from this exchange between Mr. and [...]
Perfect Chemistry
Submitted by Book Nut
by Simone Elkeles
ages: 15+
First sentence (ARC): “Everyone knows I’m perfect.”
Review copy sent to me by the publisher.
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
There are times — as Shannon Hale has very ably pointed out — where you react strongly to the book. It then becomes nearly impossible to review the book, [...]
Just Listen
Submitted by Book Nut
by Sarah Dessen
ages: 13+
First sentence: “I taped the commercial back in April, before anything had happened, and promptly forgot about it.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Annabel’s life is perfect. Or, at the very least, it seems that way. She’s a model, she lives in a beautiful house, and until last [...]
My Life in Books
Submitted by Book Nut
Stolen shamelessly from Betsy at Fuse #8. Answer the questions, using titles I’ve read in 2009, though I decided to challenge myself and keep it to MG and YA titles. (Saw it at Becky’s, too!)
Describe yourself:
Secret Keeper (Mitali Perkins)
How do you feel?
Devilish (Maureen Johnson)
Describe where you currently live:
Paper Towns (John Green)
If you [...]
Book to Movie Friday: Speak
Submitted by Book Nut
I didn’t even know this book was made into a movie, let alone a movie starring a youngish Bella (yes, I know her name is Kristen Stewart, but I look at her and say “Oh! That’s Bella!”). But, thanks to the miracles of Netflix, I discovered it, got it in the mail [...]
Rules
Submitted by Book Nut
by Cynthia Lord
ages: 9-13
First sentence: ”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Catherine’s little brother, David, has autism. Which really isn’t that bad, in Catherine’s mind. Sure, it means she has to babysit, and keep her stuff away from him, and write up rules so he can understand how the world works. [...]
Thanks for y’alls patience.
Submitted by The Thin Red Line
I haven’t had a chance to get to reading and posting for Drone as he recovers, thus it’s been a few weeks since anything has gone up. Got some books going and as Drone’s on the mend you should start to see reviews from both of us up soon.
He’s doing [...]
Wondrous Words Wednesday
Submitted by BOOKS ON THE BRAIN
Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Kathy at Bermudaonion’s Weblog where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. Feel free to join in the fun. (Don’t forget to leave a link in your comment if you’re participating.)
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I haven’t done this meme in a few [...]
RIP IV Challenge from Stainless Steel Droppings!
Submitted by BOOKS ON THE BRAIN
Generally I don’t do reading challenges- I don’t like to commit to preselected titles. I’m never sure what I’ll have time for and my tastes continuously change. What if I don’t want to read the books I’ve picked out? What if I take on too much and can’t finish? Will [...]
Fresh Meat for the Wolves
Submitted by BOOKS ON THE BRAIN
Some of you may know that my daughter has been sick in the last week and I wasn’t sure if she’d start school today. She’s going to junior high now, which of course is a VERY BIG DEAL. I just wanted you to know that she has improved tremendously and [...]
Guest Post: Allyson Roy, author(s) of Babydoll!
Submitted by BOOKS ON THE BRAIN
Please welcome Allyson Roy, author(s) of the new book, Babydoll, to Books on the Brain! Allyson Roy is actually Alice & Roy, husband and wife collaborating authors.
Did you know laughter makes you healthy? Literally. Studies have shown it enhances the cellular immune system and produces disease-fighting anti-bodies.
“Wait a sec,” you say, [...]
Sunday Salon
Submitted by BOOKS ON THE BRAIN
Weird weekend. The Hub and my youngest are in Vegas at the Excalibur Hotel for my friend’s 40th birthday party. My youngest called Friday night.. “Mom! Mommy! It’s 100 degrees, at night! Mom, it was 110 in Baker! Mom, Mom, I can see the pyramid from my room! We are [...]
Faith, Hope and Ivy June
Submitted by Book Nut
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
ages: 10-13
First sentence: “They’ll probably be polite — crisp as a soda cracker on the outside, hard as day-old biscuits underneath.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Ivy June lives in the backwoods of Kentucky and goes to a fairly small public school. Catherine lives in a big house [...]
Library Loot #34
Submitted by Book Nut
I lost my self control. Really. Look at my list of books — what was I thinking?! I tell myself that I “need” to read them all, but I’ve got several chuncksters up for this month… sigh.
There really needs to be more reading hours in a day.
For A/K:
Around the World! (Dora the [...]
10 Questions for Suzanne Selfors
Submitted by Book Nut
I discovered Suzanne Selfors last year, when I received a review copy for Saving Juliet from Walker Books. I loved the premise, and thought that Selfors had a nice blend of magical realism, romance and adventure that captured my fancy.
Her latest YA book, Coffeehouse Angel, takes magical realism in a different direction, [...]
August Jacket-Flap-a-Thon
Submitted by Book Nut
It’s the end of August. It’s been hot, and the girls have been cranky this month, and I didn’t read all that I wanted to. Still, I managed to get a fair amount done. One must be grateful for the little things, right?
The Handmaid’s Tale (Anchor):“In the world of the near future, [...]
Forest Born
Submitted by Book Nut
by Shannon Hale
ages: 12+
First sentence (ARC): “Ma had six sons.”
Review copy sent to me by the publisher.
Release date: September 15
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Rin is the youngest of seven children, the only daughter in her Forest family. She’s her Ma’s shadow, a tree-climber, a great aunt, and Razo’s (of [...]
The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez
Submitted by Book Nut
by Alan Lawrence Sitomer
ages: 14+
First sentence: “I was born in the United States of America.”
Review copy sent to me by a publicist (I think).
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
This is one angry book.
Then again, Sonia has much to be angry about. The daughter of illegal immigrants from Mexico, all she [...]
Ariel’s Journey
Submitted by Book Nut
by Doug Kane and Christy Wood
ages: 9-13
First sentence: “My jeans are trashed!”
Review copy sent to me by the publisher (or a publicist? I can’t check since I lost all my emails…)
This is a horse book.
This is a horse book that M kind of liked.
This is a horse book that really knows its [...]
