Susan, I read American Psycho back when it first came out. I don't really remember much about it, other than that it was disturbing.
Kara, I'm sure you saw his book on display somewhere. He's hugely popular. I like his women's murder club series, but I'm not a big fan of any of his others. His short chapters drive me bonkers.
57) Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata
middle school age fiction
It's told from the perspective of Sumiko, a young girl born to a Japanese immigrant family in the U.S. during World War II. Weedflower chronicles the treatment of Sumiko's family, as the older men not born in the U.S. are shipped off to a virtual prison, and the rest of the family is sent to a detention camp in the desert. Their property, not to mention their dignity, are stripped away because of fear caused by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Sumiko, however, maintains hope through her passion for growing flowers.
Pretty good. good character development, not very plot driven. I enjoyed it but not sure either of my kids (ages 10 and 12) would.
58) No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman
grades 5-7. Both my 5th grader and my 7th grader loved this book.
Here's one for every reader weary of being assigned novels in which the dog dies. (Old Yeller, Sounder, Where the Red Fern Grows, etc)
Quote:
For expressing his true views of Old Shep, My Pal, eighth-grade football hero Wallace Wallace earns a detention that takes him off the team and plunks him down in the auditorium, where his almost equally stubborn English teacher is directing a theatrical version of--you guessed it.
Very funny. Has something to say about friendship, and honesty, and drama nerds vs. jocks.
59) Foul Matter by Martha Grimes.
I loved this novel with its satirical view of the publishing industry, combined with a Mafia spoof. I had taken it out along with the last couple of mysteries that she wrote, but took the mysteries back to the library unread. I enjoyed this book immensely; moreso than most Amazon reviewers it appears.
60) Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Hoeg
Quote:
(from Amazon)
Smilla Jaspersen, half Danish, half Greenlander, attempts to understand the death of a small boy who falls from the roof of her apartment building. Her childhood in Greenland gives her an appreciation for the complex structures of snow, and when she notices that the boy's footprints show he ran to his death, she decides to find out who was chasing him. As she attempts to solve the mystery, she uncovers a series of conspiracies and cover-ups and quickly realizes that she can trust nobody. Her investigation takes her from the streets of Copenhagen to an icebound island off the coast of Greenland. What she finds there has implications far beyond the death of a single child. The unusual setting, gripping plot, and compelling central character add up to one of the most fascinating and literate thrillers of recent years.
This took me ages to read - in part because we were on vacation in UP Michigan and Ontario so either hiking or driving or coralling/entertaining kids. But also because I just couldn't get into it, though at the same time I felt compelled to finish it.
And maybe because my father was a glaciologist who did much of his early work in Greenland kept me from being as interested as I might have been otherwise. (personal baggage? )
I just didn't care much about Smilla. Or anyone else.
beachgal, I'm with you when it comes to HP. We did have to leave our wilderness camping and find a town in order to buy it for my son and dh, though.
KO...sorry to ignore you by mistake!!! So You Want to Write is fantastic...it's amazing that as old as it is (1935?) it's still SO current and fabulous! Have you read a book called The Way of the Artist or something like that? A friend of mine was reading it and found so much inspiration. Sounds right up your alley!
Susan, glad to hear that Honeymoon wasn't an example of the norm for Patterson. I'll have to try an Alex Cross one sometime!
Jessie, I hear you on trying to read so many books...though I haven't been counting mine. I really should keep some kind of record of the books I read...oy! Good for you on doing so many!!! Love the bath/book idea...how do you get into the bath thing in the summer? Do you run a cool-ish one? I've been missing my baths, but it's SO hot!
Kara, I love YAlit and kidlit, so much! I adored The Giver and Gathering Blue (Lowry is a genius, I tell ya!!!). I haven't read Where the Red Fern Grows, though. Some of my other favorites are Frindle, Running Through Time, and Star Girl .
I just finished The Glass Castle last night. Just got back from the library and checked out A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and SomethingBorrowed. I figured I could balance slightly depressing with the lighter Emily Giffin book.
I haven't been getting through books too quickly as it is hard to break away from the kids during the day to read. Then when I lay down to read at night I typically fall asleep!
Dea - I was looking for some books on CD to play in the car on our drive to/from San Antonio and my 10 year old, Brian, and I got hooked on Tamora Pierce's Children of Magic series. I checked out two books from the library on CD (total 13 hours) and we got hooked so badly we listened on ever drive during the week and ran out of book two hours before we got home! We had to stop at the library before we even drove to the house! We still need to get one book in the series but it is still checked out.
I'm reading OOP to Brian as a bedtime book and not making much progress on any reading for me. I haven't gotten hooked on the book I started before my trip.
Just finished OOP...I'm so sad that it's over, but unlike books 5 and 6, when I finished, I felt like I'd just finished a gourmet meal in the great hall, rather than swallowed the polyjuice potion for Crabbe and Goyle. :P It was fabulous and I really loved it, but definitely will miss reading those great books...am jealous for those who are just starting it or still working their way through!
Laurie you asked how we get to read so much. I am a captive audience at work for my lunch hour. I have a 40 minute commute and I bring my lunch so I eat lunch and then read for the rest of my lunch hour. I also read on my commute on the days I don't have to drive the carpool.
My hubby and I don't watch much of any TV anymore so most nights we set and read for a while after dinner before we clean up the kitchen.
Also I have found that as I'm getting older I sleep better if I read for 10-30 minutes (depending on how good the book is) before I turn out the lights to go to sleep. My husband is light sensitive also but he has figured out that reading works for him also so we both read for a short while before we go to sleep. He also has figured out that if I sleep better I don't wake up a cranky, crabby witch in the morning so it's a two fold gain for him.
I too have to decide between crafts and reading. It is such a hard decision some nights!!
Right now I'm reading Murder in the Rough by J S Borthwick and All Things Hidden by Kathy Herman. I'm not sure I like either one of them at this point but I can't not finish book so I'm stuck with them until they are finished.
philosophy of lord of the rings (self-explanatory)
hardcore zen: punk Rock, monster Movies, & the truth about Reality (i like a little zen)
the gamble (silly historical romance novel)
son of summer stars (yafiction)
hopefully will finish son of summer stars and the gamble soon....
I finished two books I've been working on Tuesday and last night--both new authors and letters I needed!
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen--really great fairy tale retelling. I am a little obsessed with fairy tale stuff as a result of my college days! I thought this one was wonderful and I have another one in the series, Snow White and Rose Red, on the way to me to read!
Let Them Eat Cake by Sandra Byrd--Christian chicklit title about a 20-something who lives with her parents and can't seem to find a job she likes. She studied French and takes a job at a French bakery despite the poor pay. I was a little wary of the "Christian-ness" of the novel as there is a bit of alcohol, but it was dealt with well, you just don't usually see that from Christian publishers. [[OK, this is actually the Christian division of Random House, so that might explain a little.]] ANYWAY, the story was cute and a good read, it was a little teenagery, I guess due to the fact that the main character herself was stuck a little in teenager land. Definitely enjoyable though.
I used to read all of the time, but over the last few years find that I don't have the time I used to have. Right now I'm reading two books..one for fun and one for research.
The fun one is: SOMEBODY IS GOING TO DIE IF LILLY BETH DOESN'T CATCH THAT BOUQUET: The official Southern Ladies' guide to hosting the perfect wedding
And the research one is: Revolution, Romanticism, and the Afro-Creole Protest Tradition in Louisiana
One of my clients also sent me a series of books..pictorials of New Orleans by decades. I have just thumbed through them, but want to go page by page when I can. She is an author who sends me books from time to time. Her book stays on my coffee table all the time.
Beachgal, Does OOP mean Order of the Phoenix? That's what I'm reading right now, I finished Goblet of Fire last night, and started reading OOP this morning. I'm only on page 59 right now, but I hope to have it finished by the weekend. I am really enjoying the HP series, something I never thought I'd like to read! Maybe by the end of the month I'll be ready to read the final book.
Order of the Phoenix is what I am reading Brian as a bedtime story. That is what Beachgal and I meant when we talked about OOP. I'm on chapter 10 or 11 right now and it is good enough that I hate to stop when it is time to go to sleep.
We enjoyed the movie and it is neat to see how much extra stuff is in the book.
I read Deathly Hallows the first weekend it was out at the beach and I want to read it again but I need a little distance from it before I dive back in. I loved it though Right now, I'm going back through Half Blood Prince to check on some things. Not really reading it, but just bits here and there. Last week I read The Virgin Suicides, which was really, really wierd, but interesting and well written enough that I finished it. I'm not sure yet if I liked it or not, I need some time to think about it, it's one of those kinds of books. Not enough time for fun reading much this summer! Mostly reading boring technical stuff for work.
So You Want to Write is fantastic...it's amazing that as old as it is (1935?) it's still SO current and fabulous! Have you read a book called The Way of the Artist or something like that? A friend of mine was reading it and found so much inspiration. Sounds right up your alley! 
