I loved The Hunger Games.
Dark but intriguing, action-packed story about a dsytopian U.S. and a gladiator-like reality show that has the 16 y.o. protagonist fighting 23 other teenagers in the wilderness.
My 14 year old son and I are both into post-apocolyptic / dystopian fiction and read the same books a lot of the time.

I just looked back at my book list from last year to see what I wrote about it. I didn't write much:

A middle grade novel. I think. Good for young adults and adults, too.

This book is absolutely fabulous. It's about Mia, a 13 year old girl who has synesthesia; to her, letters, numbers, and sounds all have colors.

I was reading this with my 10 year old (we read each other a couple of chapters every night at bedtime) but last night I broke the rule and kept on reading to the end of the book after she went to sleep.

here's the website about this book:
http://www.wendymass.com/mass-mango.htm

I just finished The Graveyard Book 3 days ago, and was very excited that it won the Newbery Medal yesterday.

I read Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass (for review) and loved it! She is great! Here's my review of it: http://bookloons.com/cgi-bin/Review.asp?bookid=7134

I'll be getting the first 2 twillight books hopefully by the end of the week!
And I'm reading I can make you thin

Laurie, I'll be sure to check out that series by Dorothy Cannell, thanks for the recommendation. I've enjoyed every book you've led me to, so far! :)

:lol: Well, I'm glad, Cottage, though I suppose there's always a first time... ;) I hope you like her books as much as I do. I spent the morning of our snow day yesterday in bed finishing Withering Heights. It was delicious! I'm now working on Goodbye Ms. Chips, which is the next one in the series. It definitely has potential.

I also read Junie B. Jones, First Grader: Shipwrecked! and it made me laugh as much as her other books. My favorite line: "A little glitter can turn your whole day around." ;)

Mango Shaped Space sounds fascinating! I'll definitely add it to my TBR list. I'll have to look for Mass's other books, too.

Rebel, I'm so impressed that you read the Newberry winner before it won! I've never done that before...how cool! What's The Graveyard Book about? What are dystopian books usually about? Would The Giver being a dystopian book? Handmaid's Tale? 1984?

:lol3: KO, I read this line in your post and thought it said, "And what I'm reading can make you thin." I did a major double take! :lol:

Kim, a friend of mine absolutely loves that show (Jon and Kate). Sounds like fascinating reading. I can't imagine. My sisters are twins and helping my mom raise them was enough to make me sure I never want a multiple birth of any kind. They are SOOOO much work for their entire lives (my sisters turned 30 last weekend and they are STILL so much work for all of us!).

I'm almost done with America, too. I have just a couple of pages to skim from the "election guide" for the 2004 election. ;)

Okay 13 Moons got me yesterday. It took until page 100, but then I didn't want to put it down. I am in love with Charles Frazier, I wonder if he is good looking. Wait, I have to check... damn, not so much.

I think I would like Revolutionary Road. I haven't seen the movie. Have to put that one on the list.

rebel, um synesthesia? I didn't know there was a word for it. You mean those things don't have colors? What does it mean?

So I haven't posted here yet, but thought I would share that I'm currently reading Dead Until Dark (the first book of the Southern Vampire Mysteries) by Charlaine Harris. There the books the HBO series True Blood is based off of.

It's interesting. I got a few from the series for Christmas. Lots of fun!

I haven't been posting in a while. I read The Middle Place, it wasn't as good as I had thought it would be. Sort of a downer too. I found 2 titles from the library from Emilie Richards that I am waiting to start. Just started Friday Night Knitting Club (thanks Zeff!) and so far I like it. I haven't been reading much lately, need to get back into it! I really wanted to see Revolutionary Road, maybe I'll read the book first.

Schmoodle, I've discovered that my son and I are about the only people in our extended family who DON'T have any form of synesthesia!
Most of them just have number form synesthesia

Beachgal dystopian fiction Mostly post-apocalyptic. some are more utopias-gone-bad.
1984. Handmaid's Tale. Brave New World. The Giver. Uglies trilogy. The Hunger Games. The Declaration. The Hidden series. Feed. The Other Side of the Island. (I haven't read those last 2 - I gave them to my son for his birthday but didn't get around to reading them.) The Adoration of Jenna Fox (which I started this evening.)
those titles are off the top of my head :dizzy: I guess I really have read a lot of them in the past couple of years.

The last few days:
Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall by Wendy Mass. I guess I really didn't give it a chance when I started it before. Very good! The free verse style works well for this book.

The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan. A memoir about growing up, and being an adult who is a daughter and a mom. and who has cancer. I'd read exerpts on her blog http://kellycorrigan.com/themiddleplace/excerpt.php and listened to her reading of "The Guess Jeans Fight of 1984" there.

Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher. Set just before WWII. 15 year old girl drops out of school to support the family, and works in a meat packing plant before landing a job as a taxi-dancer.
Really good book. It's her second book published, and I'll definitely keep an eye out for a third!

I finished Multiple Blessings by Jon and Kate Gosselin with Beth Carson last night. I really enjoyed it! The book was an emotional roller coaster and each chapter was sprinkled with bible verses. The writing wasn't that great, but that wasn't important to me. I wasn't looking for literary genius; just the story of how the family's life changed. They are a full-of-faith family that relies 100% on God and that was super-refreshing.

I've read some of the controversy regarding the show, and while I do understand some of the concern, I don't think it can be considered "child abuse" or "negligence". Those children are well taken care of and are growing up in a home full of lots of love. It was a fun, quick book to read.

Tonight I'm starting on Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain. I love his shows and his crass nature, so I'm sure I'll love his book. He's one of those brutally honest people who doesn't care what others think of him and I'm sure that'll come across on the pages!

Rebel: Man, you read a lot! :lol: And that's a big compliment from someone in this thread!

I'm reading Wideacre by Phillipa Gregory for entertainment and a great book for anyone who has issues with depression, called 'The Cognitive Behavioural Workbook for Depression' which sounds like heavy going but it's a great book with practical help for depression.

I'm reading Engaging the Enemy by Nora Roberts. I am in need of an escape from reality!