Warm reads for December

YA Author birthdays

12-10-1958 Cornelia Funke!
12-16-1927 Peter Dickenson
12-19-1928 Eve Bunting
12-23-1937 Avi

Happy Birthday to these authors! Thanks for writing!

And what are you reading this month! Let us all know!

I'm reading Crossing the Wire with a group of 6th graders in a very diverse US school. The kids are really interested in it because it's an adventure about crossing from Mexico to the U.S. Border. If you can think of other stories about immigration, the process of emigrating or the process of adapting to a new country, let me know. The kids want more of these stories.

I received an ARC of Across the Universe in the LT Early Reviewers November bunch, and I came home today to find an ARC of Wither on my porch. I think I used a link from the Shelf Awareness newsletter to enter into a draw for that books MONTHS ago. Anyway, both of those are now up next!

(I accidentally posted this first in November's thread...it has taken me this long to actually realize it is December!)

I'm going to read Kiss of death by Rachel Caine

I have Wither on my computer from Simon & Shuster's Galley Grab program. I have also pre-ordered Across the Universe since I didn't win it in any of the many contests I entered for it. Both sound really amazing. Trickster's Girl and Unearthly are the next on my list however. Both are review copies on my Kindle and both will be published very early in January.

I finished Wither. I've still got The God Delusion going, and Dracula in Love...and Ballad partway read on my nightstand. And since when I get freaked out, I turn to Jane Austen, I started The Annotated Pride and Prejudice to get me through the exam period. I have to start Across the Universe soon though.

I was so excited to come home to a FedEx package last Friday. I got an ARC of Across the Universe. I also started Unearthly while in doctor's waiting rooms yesterday. I am enjoying it so far but didn't get much read. Everyone was very prompt or even early at my appointments. Which was fortunate for everything except my plan to get lots of reading done.

> 5, 6 I really wanted to snag Across the Universe (I got another book instead, which I'm certainly not complaining about), so please be sure to post your thoughts on that book. I just might have to pre-order it, if it's worth it.

I'm revisiting an old favorite, The Blue Sword, while I'm finishing up my end of the semester projects and papers. It's definitely one of those comfort reads.

> 7 I love 26673::The Blue Sword! I also snagged 10129182::Across the Universe and will be sure to throw up my thoughts here!

I just finished re-reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow.
:)

I picked up Missing May today. I've had the book in the house for a long time (library book sale) and have been avoiding it because it is obviously a book about grieving. By chapter 3 though, I can tell it's more than that and should be a fun, as well as a sad, read.

A wonderful book. Sometimes you just know you've got a winner. I wasn't surprised at all by its Newbery Medal.

Merry> Usually you can count on the Newberry winners. I've just gotten to the crazy boy who collects things. Now I'm interested. :)

I'll check back to see your final opinion.

I finished Missing May and wrote a review on the book page. Very sweet book, and it didn't drag like many books on mourning do. Cletus was an absolutely wonderful character. I'm going to start reading Dark Water now. I'm hoping it's more than a cross-cultural romance.

This is the month in which I will dig into this year's nominated titles for the Red Maple Reading Program. So far I have read The Agency 1: A Spy in the House, and I am now currently reading Not Suitable For Family Viewing. The other 8 titles will be coming next.

I am jumping on the blogosphere bandwagon and reading Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead since I finally caught up on the review books for late December and early January.

I just started D. M. Cornish's Lamplighter, the second book in his Foundling's Tale series. I really enjoyed the first book, so I'm quite looking forward to seeing what will happen in this one (plus the cover's really pretty!).

The kids and I finished The BFG by Roald Dahl in audio (read by Natasha Richardson) and have started The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. I think both of those are children's and not YA, but it's what we're doing.

You all have some really tempting books going. Wish I had sooo much more time than I do!

Penn

> 18 I loved The BFG growing up -- it was one of my favorite books. I hope you and your kids are enjoying it!

Last night I finished my ER YA book, The Demon Trapper's Daughter which was pretty good. One of the more interesting books I've read this year. I'm trying to work out a review for it.

Just finished Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld and posted a review. I'm now reading Bloodthirsty and am eagerly waiting for my ARC of Across the Universe.

Jenson> I'm jealous! I keep trying to win that one. Glad to hear it was good. I'll be looking for your review.

21 You didn't get your copy of Across the Universe yet? I got mine 2 days after I 'won' it. And then they sent me another one a week later. I'm waiting to hear back from the LT peeps about what to do about that...

>22 cammykitty: The review is up :-)

23 No joy in VA yet.

My consolation prize is that my number finally came up at the library and I now have a copy of Clockwork Angel to read and review. But first, I need to finish, and review, Bloodthirsty. It really is an enjoyable read.

Just finished Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead and found it a satisfying conclusion to the series. And it left enough questions that I will be eager to read the spin-off series too.

Now, to start Across the Universe by Beth Revis.

I just finished Lamplighter and it was fabulous, and, of course, being the second book it ended in a major cliffhanger. I can't wait to dig into Factotum - I'm pretty sure I'm getting it for Christmas, so I only have to wait a bit over a week. Now I have no idea what to read.

I've started Tiger Rising as my a few minutes here & there book. I know this probably wouldn't bother the average middle grade reader, but the adults' actions just aren't believable. The school personal would be heading for a lawsuit in today's world.

I've finished Dark Water and liked it a lot. My review is on the book page. I'm going to pick at Tiger Rising. It's short and popular, so I may as well finish it, but the stupid principal is turning me off. Other than that, I'll be reading adult books for awhile.

I am currently read Diamond of Darkhold, which concludes the series. In class with my students , I am reading Animal Farm. I am enjoying both!

Today I impulsively reread A Wrinkle in Time and it was just as good as I remembered. Now I'm working on A Wind in the Door, Bloodhound, and Le Petit Nicolas - adorable French children's stories!

I recently finished Dead is a Rumor by Marlene Perez which I found to be pretty average. I really enjoyed the first book in the series, but I can't help but find each subsequent book lacking something.

On a brighter note, I started Jessica's Guide to Dating on The Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey a day or so ago and although I've only stratched the surface at about a fifth of the way through, I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

Finished Across the Universe this weekend. I'm sad to say that I wasn't as thrilled as most people seem to have been - I found the dystopian aspect to be disappointingly simplistic and the twists and turns to be fairly predictable. It wasn't bad, just mediocre.

If you want to read my review (with spoilers, but they are marked), it is here.

@ Aerrin99 - I had a similar experience with the book. I wanted it to be more complex than it was. I'm not a big fan of dystopian novels, but I've read quite a few over the years, and the level of sophistication definitely makes or breaks a novel. Very few YA dystopians engage with the issues that have made it such an enduring genre.

I just finished and wrote a review of Robert C. O'Brien's The Silver Crown, a very interesting, very odd, young adult Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Adventure. I really liked it for the first 2/3s of the book, but I felt it really let me down in the third act.

I just finished Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, and highly recommend it. A young girl dies and then relives her last day 7 more time (not a spoiler, it tells you this on the jacket). Well written, and very thought provoking.

Last night I started The Thief of Always by Clive Barker at the very, very strong recommendation of my 10 year old son. He just finished it in school and insisted I have to read it right now :-)

Jenson> I've only read Barker's adult horror short stories. Stomach churning and creepy!!! I can't imagine him writing for YA, but he does. Let me know what you think.

#36 I tried desperately to read Before I Fall. I finally gave up at page 180. I didn't like the character's voice or the stream of consciousness style of the text. I have Delirium and hope I like it better.

Hope was Here by Joan Bauer
Gingerbread by Rachel Cohen and am about to start the sequel Shrimp.

>38 cammykitty: It actually is pretty creepy for a kids story, but very interesting. I'm about halfway through now.

Jenson> Kids always surprise me at how much "ick" they like in their fiction. I'll have to find Barker's book.

A book I really enjoy is Dead is the New Black.