Review: Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Saving June by Hannah Harrington is a book that will pull you through the proverbial emotional ringer. I was left feeling heart sore but also hopeful for these characters and their journeys.

Synopsis: Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again. (Goodreads.com)


Harper is a sarcastic, disdainful, but truly hurting young woman who just cannot comprehend that the perfect June, her older sister, has committed suicide. The thought remains incredibly unbelievable, even at June's wake, the book's opening scene. While Harper is not numb, she is also not totally feeling what it means to have lost her sister. It is Harper's struggle to come to terms with the fact that she will never have the answers she searches for that makes this book so engrossing.


Harper is a good sister. She loved June, and June loved Harper. That much is clear. Sure, they had their spats as siblings are prone to do but she is so freaked out by the fact that there is so much about June that she did not know, starting with Jake Tolan and his mix CD. This CD, and this boy, leads to a road trip across the United States to California, the place June most loved, though she had never been there. It's the kind of love you have for a very engrossing dream, a goal, and a hope. Harper wants to complete that dream for June so she takes her ashes, leaves her mom grieving, her aunt whining, and heads west.


The banter between Harper and Jake is wonderful, humorous and just the perfect amount of sarcastic. It's obvious there is chemistry between them but there are also a myriad of secrets and emotions, all relating to June, that have to be worked out way before anything could happen. Then of course, something pretty darn powerful does happen.


I do not think I'm articulating very well just how much I liked this book, just how very much I was devastated by the loss of June even though she only appears in a few flashbacks. I felt for Harper so very, very much. Harper is a character that I think can be universally empathized with because she is going through a loss so very heartbreaking that it does in fact lift itself off of the pages, straight into the reader's emotional stratosphere.


I really enjoyed the road trip aspect of this book. It started out as somewhat bittersweet but I think Harper eventually got into the spirit of it, enjoying her time with Jake, and her best friend, Laney. They stop at not only notable tourist locations but they go to some pretty darn unusual spots too. I am a fan of road trip books so this particular theme works well for me. I thought it was a fitting end for June, a girl who never had the chance to experience anything outside her small Michigan town.


Music is an important part of this book but I was so, so happy that it was not a book littered with lyrics. I kind of hate that and I think it takes away from the power of the writer. While there were a few lyrics quoted here and there, they did not make up the bulk of the text and in fact, not having them made me enjoy the music aspect of this story more because I could connect with WHY Jake was so passionate about music, what he had to say about music. And the fact that he loves ABBA AND Johnny Cash (who is mentioned twice in this book, YAY!) shows what great taste in music he had. (I am a huge fan of both.)


There is one element of this story that did not work for me and it was the story line Laney, Harper's best friend, went through. It was given short-shrift in this story and was not fully fleshed out, making it this dangling plot line that only took away the focus from Harper's journey. If it had been a stronger element of the story, I think it would have worked a lot better. I really liked Laney as a character and as a support system for Harper, but I think the author was trying to bring her into her own spotlight but there just wasn't enough time in the story to do that, so her big moment felt very abbreviated to me.


However, on the whole, this is a thoroughly engrossing read. I think it would make a great companion novel to Courtney Summers' Fall For Anything. This is Hannah Harrington's first book and I was very impressed with its quality and storytelling. There is a lot to discuss and think about and on top of that, it's just a great emotional story with depth and weight. There are no real answers for Harper but there is some resolution, a chance to go forward with her life without constantly wondering. And on top of that, there is a great romance that blossoms between Jake and Harper. It's not the focus of the story, but rather a great bonus.


Saving June is available now from Harlequin Teen.


Other reviews:
Consumed By Books reviews Saving June
Dear Author reviews Saving June



ARC provided by Netgalley.

Looking for some adult laughs...

I recently finished reading Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, perhaps even more than Tina Fey's Bossypants. Mindy is closer to my age and we had similar experiences that made for lots of laughs for me.

I don't in general read all that many adult books, and hardly any memoirs/biographies, or whatever type of book one would categorize Kaling's book. I would love to read more books like Kaling's however. The humor was spot-on for me and it was a very easy, breezy read. As much as I love YA books, sometimes it is nice to delve back into the world of adults and what they are going through since I am usually going through the same dramas myself.

Last year, I read Sleepwalk with Me: and Other Painfully True Stories by Mike Birbiglia which I also really enjoyed. Again, short humorous vignettes from his childhood and his adulthood thus far. It was funny and enjoyable. The only other book I can think of that is similar to these titles is Sh*t My Dad Says which I am not interested in reading.

The authors don't have to be celebrities by any means, though I do love Kaling. I know Chelsea Handler has some books that may be somewhat similar but again, just not all that interested in reading about her. So, basically what I'm looking for is something along the lines of Mindy Kaling's book. If you have any suggestions, of stories you've personally read and enjoyed, please let me know. I realize I can just Google or Goodreads titles but that doesn't always tell me the full story and I like to hear from actual readers. So, if you have any great suggestions, please let me know. It'd help my mom too, lol, who is looking for Christmas gift ideas for me.

Now if only Amy Poehler would come out with a book, I'd be reading that in a snap!

Review: The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place--The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood

This book is an ABSOLUTE JOY to listen to, right on par with my favorite audiobook experience, Jim Dale's reading of the Harry Potter series. I didn't want to arrive at my destination this Thanksgiving weekend, I just wanted to keep listening. I'm just getting back into audiobooks this year, after several years hiatus, and while I've liked the few books I've listened to so far, this experience was amazing.

Synopsis: Found running wild in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children: Alexander, age ten or thereabouts, keeps his siblings in line with gentle nips; Cassiopeia, perhaps four or five, has a bark that is (usually) worse than her bite; and Beowulf, age somewhere-in-the-middle, is alarmingly adept at chasing squirrels.

Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. Only fifteen years old and a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, Penelope embraces the challenge of her new position. Though she is eager to instruct the children in Latin verbs and the proper use of globes, first she must help them overcome their canine tendencies.

But mysteries abound at Ashton Place: Who are these three wild creatures, and how did they come to live in the vast forests of the estate? Why does Old Timothy, the coachman, lurk around every corner? Will Penelope be able to teach the Incorrigibles table manners and socially useful phrases in time for Lady Constance's holiday ball? And what on earth is a schottische? (Goodreads.com)

I have heard nothing but rave reviews for audiobook reader Katherine Kellgren and I have to say, she has another fan. She went all out with this book. Howling, barking, and invoking the wild nature of the children perfectly. She has also Miss Lumley's kind and generous spirit down perfectly. I was laughing and smiling throughout this entire experience. When listening, I was wondering if Ms. Kellgren was British herself but from what I've found online she was actually born in New York though she has trained extensively in London and it shows.

I have to say, my favorite voice was actually that of Lady Constance, the mistress of Ashton Place. Her upper crust, nasally tones, were perfection in this book, as was her constant need to cry or whine. It could have been grating I think but instead, there was a good balance of whining and just bringing Constance alive. She was a fretful, nervous, annoying woman but she had moments of sympathy too and I can't say I would have felt that sympathy if I had just been reading this book. This is truly a story where the audio made it even better.

I really did enjoy the actual plot though. I found the three Incorrigible children, Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia, to be great characters. Though they had been raised by wolves their childlike nature definitely came through too and it was hard not to feel bad for them, particularly when it becomes clear that Frederick Ashton has his own agenda when it comes to the kids. This was a fun story and I can see why it's so popular at my library. It's an engrossing story but I truly think it became something spectacular in the audio version. I know I'm going to get the second book on audio, rather than just read it. I want to hear the characters come to life again.

The Mysterious Howling is a great listen for family vacations, for alone car time, or for really any listening situation. It has a compelling mystery, lively and engaging characters, and there is a nice layer of irony and sarcasm reminiscent of Lemony Snicket that adds some great humor to the story. This is a must-listen story. You'll have a great reading experience with it to be sure but I think the audio elevates it from good to spectacular!

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 1: The Mysterious Howling is written by Maryrose Wood, read by Katherine Kellgren. It is a Listening Library production, with five discs totaling 5 hours, 28 minutes. Believe me when I say, this will be five hours well worth spent.

Audio version borrowed from my local library.

Picture Book Saturday (03)

Well, it appears winter is making its debut, at least here in Minnesota. It snowed last weekend and even though the temps have gone back into the forties, I'm thinking this is only a slight reprieve. Since I enjoy winter immensely, I don't mind. And with winter comes fun winter inspired picture books. Here are two to consider.

No Two Alike by Keith Baker. This beautifully illustrated winter picture book describes how no two items (snowflakes, nests, even roads) are totally alike. It is a good lesson in comparison and contrast, particularly for one-on-one reading sessions. Kids will be able to pick out the noticeable differences while also catching on to some of the differences that aren't apparent to the naked eye right away. The illustrations are soft and convey all the wonderment of a snow-filled day that is best enjoyed at home with a cup of hot chocolate.  Plus, the "main characters" of the book, two little red cardinals, stand out very nicely on the soft looking pages. They are the splash of bright color all winter needs.

Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner, with art by Christopher Silas Neal. This is a great examination of what animals are doing during winter, particularly while humans are still out and about. It reminded me of field trips during elementary school, where we had the chance to examine little burrows and other hidden snow homes. The illustrations in Over and Under the Snow are fabulous and give winter a serene, sleepy feel which pairs nicely with several of the animals hibernating. You can see some inside illustrations here at Christopher Silas Neal's website. This is a great book which could be used very nicely with nonfiction books about hibernating or winter animals and this is actually a great pairing with No Two Alike. Yes, they both share winter as a theme but they do highlight some similar concepts.


Two fabulous new winter themed books to consider. These aren't really great for big groups of story time kids but would make great at-home books examining winter. There are small, delicate details in both book that necessitate a closer viewing.

Picture Book Saturday is the creation of Amanda at A Patchwork of Books so be sure to check out which picture books she is highlighting today!

A Happy Bookish Thanksgiving!

Parents.com

I love Thanksgiving, it is one of my favorite holidays. This year in particular I have so much to be thankful for. 2011 has been a really good year for me and I'm so thankful that I will be able to spend the holiday with my family for the first time in two years. There are a lot of book related things I am thankful for this year too. Here is only a small sampling.

1. Attending my very first ALA conference, with the help of YALSA and Baker and Taylor! There's still time to apply too, if you've never been able to attend an ALA conference, there is a great grant opportunity that closes on December 1.

2. Attending Book Expo America in NYC, one of my very favorite places in the world.

3. Meeting so many awesome blogging and librarian people including Pop Culture Junkie, Gail from Ticket to Anywhere, the amazing and oh so kind Tiff, Abby the Librarian, two awesome LJ friends, Maureen and Rachel, and so many more! Bookish people are what makes these events so much fun.

4. Seeing How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying with DAN RADCLIFFE (AKA HARRY POTTER!). My Dan Rad love is still very strong.

5. Meeting authors and getting the chance to express to them how much joy they bring into my life with their stories.

6. A new job! It brought me back to Minnesota, closer to my family, and it gave me new opportunities to expand my work horizons. It's been a great challenge and while I miss my Colorado library a lot, to this very day, I can't say I regret accepting this opportunity.

7. Presenting at the ALA Annual conference! Thanks to all those wonderful people who came out and supported this presentation.

8. Being invited to be a member of the 2012-2013 YALSA Popular Paperbacks Committee (which means I get to go back to ALA next summer!). I can't wait to get started on this committee.

9. The final Harry Potter movie. It's the end of an era for Harry Potter but fortunately I have the books to read over and over again.

10. So many excellent books! I've read several books in 2011 that have really stuck with me this year. I feel so lucky to be able to read all these amazing books on the market and to be able to connect with authors and readers via Twitter, Goodreads, or email. I'm one lucky reader!

That's just some of the great things I've been thankful for this year. There is no doubt that 2011 has been a fabulous book related year for me!

Review: Girls Don't Fly by Kristen Chandler

Kristen Chandler's Girls Don't Fly is a book that drove me incredibly neurotic but yet I could not put it down. The voice of Myra is incredibly readable, if not always likeable, but always readable.

Synopsis: Myra is used to keeping her feet firmly on the ground. She's got four younger brothers, overworked parents, and a pregnant older sister, and if Myra wasn't there to take care of everyone, they'd probably fall apart. But when her boyfriend unceremoniously dumps her, Myra feels like she's lost her footing. Suddenly she's doing things she never would've a few months earlier: quitting her job, applying for a scholarship to study birds in the Galapogos, and falling for a guy who's encouraging her to leap from her old life . . . and fly. (Goodreads.com)


I'm not a huge fan of girls who cannot stand on their own two feet, who have to rely on a boy to find their self-worth. There are times in this book where Myra falls into both of these categories but there are also times where she is incredibly capable at everything she does, even dancing in a ugly, old, germ-filled chicken suit.


I think there is a lot to be said for how appealing Myra as a character is. She does not have this "shiny, happy, amazing" life that is all too often depicted in teen novels. In fact, Myra is kind of like her family's housemaid, but in a more lovable way. It's clear that, for all the complaining she does about her family, her four younger brothers and her older sister, Melyssa, even her parents, Myra loves them. She just has to learn how to balance her own plans and goals with the realities of her family. Her family is not rich by any means. While her dad has a decent job, her mother cleans office buildings at night, in order to be home with her youngest son during the day. This is not a family with a lot of money or material gains. There house is cluttered and their mom is harried. Myra has to find a way to pay for dental assistant school. I think, particularly in today's economic climate, this is a situation teens are going to relate to.


Then, this scholarship opportunity to the Galapagos Islands arrives and Myra is hooked. Part of it is she wants to beat her ex-boyfriend, Erik, who is a downright jerk. But another part of her just wants to do this because she wants to. Yes, she wants escape but she is also looking for a way to learn and grow with her own interests. The problem is, she has to raise $1,000 of her own money first, which, when you just quit your ice cream job, well that's going to be hard to do. But Myra is not a quitter.


Unfortunately, like many teen girls, she does fall into the trap of wanting her ex-boyfriend back. She remembers the good times with him and wants to be part of that again, even when it becomes clear that this guy is no prince in shining armor. He's a toad. I honestly could not ever quite see why Myra was so enamored with him. From the moment he broke up with her, to how he tried to use her for her intelligence, to how he tries to force her into sex, he is the personification of everything wrong with YA boyfriends. He is a mean, controlling asshole who has the potential to be a rapist in the future if he doesn't get his way. He is scary and pathetic. So, like I said, I did have a hard time in truly empathizing with Myra when it came to Erik.


But there was so much else about this book I did like. I loved seeing Myra tell stories with her young brothers. Literally sitting down and creating a story to share. It's an old-fashioned past time that needs to come back into vogue. I liked Myra's germaphobe tendencies because I could relate to them all too easily. I even liked her growing romance with Pete Tree, the grad student who was leading the scholarship program. I think that sentence sounds bad but there is not quite as much conflict of interest as it appears. I liked Myra's family. They were down to earth, critical, but also supportive. And perhaps most importantly, I liked seeing Myra discover that there are opportunities waiting for her if she only has the guts to pursue them. And yeah, she didn't always have the guts and the drive, but she's finding her way to it and making those opportunities work.


I couldn't read this book quickly enough. I'm not sure what it is but for me, it had a magic quality that compelled me to read it, and fast. Myra's voice just stood out to me as something special. Girls Don't Fly is not without its problems but for me, this book turned into something special and wonderful. Myra is a character who left a mark on me.


Girls Don't Fly is available now.


Other reviews:
A Cupcake and a Latte reviews Girls Don't Fly
Crowding the Book Truck reviews Girls Don't Fly


Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Heart of Steel by Meljean Brook

Are you reading Meljean Brook's Iron Seas stories yet?? Last year I posted about one of my favorite books of the year, The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook. Recently, the second book in the series was released. Heart of Steel was a wonderful follow-up and has me excited to read what comes next in this world. Meljean Brook is the only author I am willing to read zombies for. No one else will do. I  know I don't usually post too many romance reviews on this blog but I have to give you a little glimpse into why this book is so good and why you should give this series a try.

Synopsis: Growing up in the dangerous world of the Iron Seas, the mercenary captain of the airship Lady Corsair, Yasmeen, has learned to keep her heart hard as steel. Ruthless and cunning, her only loyalty is to her ship and her crew-until one man comes along and changes everything...Treasure hunter Archimedes Fox isn't interested in the Lady Corsair-just the captain and the valuable da Vinci sketch she stole from him. When it attracts a dangerous amount of attention, Yasmeen and Archimedes journey to Horde-occupied Morocco- and straight into enemy hands. (Goodreads.com)


Reason #1 you should be reading this series, and this book in particular. Yasmeen is an amazing character. A female character who kicks-butt on every level. She is strong and not afraid to use violence, at all. She seems invulnerable but part of her appeal is that she is vulnerable, that she has to learn to let herself show her emotions around the male protagonist, Archimedes Fox (AMAZING name, am I right?). Yasmeen is what I want to strive to be as a woman. She seems fearless and is ready to take risks. She cares for her crew and is out for vengeance. She is incredibly intelligent and knows when a risk is worth taking. And she's funny, particularly when it involves Archimedes.

Then there is Archimedes. He is as different as you can get from the "hero" of The Iron Duke but that doesn't make him less by any means. He wears his heart on his sleeve for Yasmeen. But he also carries a burden that drives him to go on adventure after dangerous adventure. Zombies in Venice, flying machines, enemies out to hurt him. He's not the most popular guy necessarily, at least when it comes to his fellow treasure hunters, but he is a great guy. He has this adorable sense of humor that is simply cheeky. He is basically an extremely likeable fellow.

Then there is the fact this book is an exhilarating adventure! Airships, zombies (yep, the only author I'll read zombies for), famous da Vinci sketches, and a little flying contraption that is the height of awesome. There is a lot of action in this book, but it is tempered with excellent dialogue, robust characters that make these adventures more than just jaunts across Europe avoiding the Horde and its many enemies. There is a depth of humanity in these characters that make this more than just another steampunk romance on the market. Meljean Brook is a very talented writer and it shows in how she writes her characters, how she brings them alive. I do not really consider myself a major reader of steampunk but there are a few authors (Scott Westerfeld and Meljean Brook being my faves) who make these adventures something special.


So, have I convinced you? Maybe add this series to your Christmas wishlist! You will not regret it. I think there is great crossover appeal for adult YA readers and this series. There is romance yes, but there is also strong writing, exciting plots, and settings that come alive. YA readers love those things, right? There is of course sex, so I don't necessarily recommend these books for teen readers, unless you know them and that they are comfortable with sex scenes in their books. I started reading romance at age fourteen so I would have had no problem with these books. 

Meljean Brook has all kinds of great background information on her website to help ease you into the world of the Iron Seas, including this handy map she created, which gives you a nice layout of the world in her series.


I'd love to know if you decide to give Heart of Steel a chance. Let me know what you think!
 

EVE Contest Winner!

Inspired Kathy!

You have won a copy of Anna Carey's new book, Eve!

Review: Lie by Caroline Bock

Caroline Bock's Lie is the kind of story that sticks, and sticks hard. It is a fabulously written glimpse into the racism and violence that still exists so broadly in U.S. culture.

Synopsis:
Everybody knows, nobody’s talking. . . .
Seventeen-year-old Skylar Thompson is being questioned by the police. Her boyfriend, Jimmy, stands accused of brutally assaulting two young El Salvadoran immigrants from a neighboring town, and she’s the prime witness. Skylar is keeping quiet about what she’s seen, but how long can she keep it up? 
But Jimmy was her savior. . . .
When her mother died, he was the only person who made her feel safe, protected from the world. But when she begins to appreciate the enormity of what has happened, especially when Carlos Cortez, one of the victims, steps up to demand justice, she starts to have second thoughts about protecting Jimmy. Jimmy’s accomplice, Sean, is facing his own moral quandary. He’s out on bail and has been offered a plea in exchange for testifying against Jimmy.
The truth must be told. . . .
Sean must decide whether or not to turn on his friend in order to save himself. But most important, both he and Skylar need to figure out why they would follow someone like Jimmy in the first place. (Goodreads.com)

There are some very painful truths and realities examined in this book, along with some very painful questions that can never be easily answered. When Jimmy Seeger attacks two people, it is hushed up. However, these were not just two random people. They were two brothers of El Salvadoran descent and the attack was racially motivated. That much is painfully clear from the very outset. I never had any doubt of what happened but the real pain and power in this book comes from watching the characters, particularly Skylar, Jimmy's girlfriend, come to terms that the boy she loves could do something this horrendous, this evil.

This novel kind of meanders around. It is not a straight narrative by any means. With multiple viewpoints (Skylar, her father, the mother of the two kids who were attacked, Jimmy's father, Jimmy's coach, and more) there are definitely multiple factors to consider. Will Skylar find the strength to turn in her boyfriend? Will Arturo get justice? Is there hope for this community that never expected to have to deal with this blatant racism? Skylar in particular wings from one thought to another. She is a very fractured character. Jimmy came into her life shortly after mother's death, when Skylar was very fragile. He was her protector, the person she could turn to when she needed comfort. He obviously holds a very dear spot in her heart. But like an injured bird, she has to wonder if she is more his pet than a girlfriend, than an equal to him.

The narrative relies on two wholly unreliable characters: Skylar, and Sean, Jimmy's best friend, who was with him the night of the attack. Everybody knows but nobody is talking is the mantra that is repeated throughout their little group but these two have guilt weighing heavily on them. Guilt, fear for their futures, and just plain questions. How could Jimmy do this? How could Sean be complicit in something like when he never intended to hurt anyone?

There is a lot to think about when reading this book and it definitely stays with you as you finish. It is a slim novel that makes you consider your own actions, what you overhear at school or work or just in your community. Rumors and innuendos always have an edge of truth to them after all. This book managed to surprise me also which I cannot say happens to often when I read anymore.

I have a very minor complaint, something perhaps I'm the only one who noticed for whatever reason but when I first started this book, I could not place it, time wise. It did not read like a contemporary, set-in-the present story for a long time. It was not until there was a blatant mention of 9/11 that I for sure knew it was set in today's world and not the 1950's or something. Even the name Jimmy and Sean confused me. They read as more old fashioned than some of the more recent YA books I have read, as does Lisa Marie. In some ways, this worked in the book's favor because I think it sends a clear message that racism is an ever present part of our society and is just as prevalent and scary as it was in the past. But the whole past/present setting made it difficult for me to always wrap my mind around the fact that this story was truly taking place in the now. And the fact that it is, that these acts are still occurring, is a powerful message that needed more oomph to me.

That being said, Lie is an incredibly approachable and realistic book on the topic of hate crimes. The discussion opportunities are endless and this book can be paired with other books to create dialogue and perhaps ideas on how to combat hate crimes in the future.

Hate is not always ingrained from parents or friends. Sometimes it's just complacency, the need to fit in, that drives these crimes. I would not say any of the characters (with the exception of Jimmy who I intensely disliked) were "bad" kids. They just did not think, they followed peer pressure, and they went too far and then did not want to deal with consequences. These actions have real life realities and it is in the voices of Carlos, the brother to Arturo, in Arturo's mother, in Skylar and Sean, that these realities have true bearing on lives.

Other reviews:
YA Book Shelf reviews Lie
Turn the Page reviews Lie
Stacked reviews Lie

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Water Balloon by Audrey Vernick

Water Balloon by Audrey Vernick is a really sweet coming of age story filled with changes on every front for its young protagonist. Imbued with melancholy and the fears of growing up and away from friends, this book really worked for me.

Synopsis: Marley’s life is as precarious as an overfull water balloon—one false move and everything will burst. Her best friends are pulling away from her, and her parents, newly separated, have decided she should spend the summer with her dad in his new house, with a job she didn’t ask for and certainly doesn’t want. On the upside is a cute boy who loves dogs as much as Marley does . . . but young love has lots of opportunity for humiliation and misinterpreted signals. Luckily Marley is a girl who trusts her instincts and knows the truth when she sees it, making her an immensely appealing character and her story funny, heartfelt, and emotionally true. (Goodreads.com)


This is a story about friends growing apart, about Marley having to deal with her parents separating, and about having to deal with your very job, which you hate. Marley is an average teenager, someone who isn't quite as mature as her friends are. She still loves playing Monopoly and having water balloon blitzes. Unfortunately, her two best friends are beyond that now and it is hurting Marley. On top of that, she is living with her father for most o f the summer while her mom travels and visits friends. It's odd because her father has a new house, a new life he is establishing for himself and now Marley has to learn to fit in to it. It's not easy.

What I really loved about this book is just how emotional it all felt. This was big, big stuff to Marley. Her emotions hurt, they felt excruciating coming off the page. I felt terrible for her when she did her balloon blitz at her friend's party. I knew it wouldn't end well and I just wanted to stop her. But that's the reality of this book. You have to go through those mistakes to grow up. You have to experience friends being total bitches to you (unfortunately). You have to learn to deal with jobs you didn't want to begin with, and you have to learn to make new friends, particularly when it's the sweet, cute, boy next door. 


There were moments when Marley felt a bit too old for what for her age (on the verge of eighth grade) but that didn't bother me very much in this book because there was so much that felt realistic and honest as to how girls her age actually act. The excitement of thinking you'll be doing something awesome your friends will laugh about only to realize way too late that is not going to happen. Marley just really spoke to me as a character. Her insecurities but also her growing knowledge that she deserved something better in friendship.


Additionally, I enjoyed watching Marley and her father grow closer. Even at the end, there's a bit of an awkwardness between them but it felt like a healthier sort of awkward, the kind you experience when you're starting to enjoy getting to know someone for who they truly are.


Water Balloon is in many ways a carefree story. There isn't a lot of action but there is so much going on in Marley's head, from her feelings to her thoughts, that it felt like something was going on at every point of the story. It is a story of growth and change, healing, and learning to become a bit more of an individual, even when you are still nervous about what being your own person can mean.


All in all, Water Balloon successfully navigated many of the pitfalls of growing up, through just a short summer. Marley doesn't have all the answers but she is ready to discover some of those answers herself rather than just hiding from them. A wonderful story. Hand this to your tween readers, they will totally relate to Marley's struggles and changing feelings.


Reviewed from public library copy.

Follow me to the hub!

It's a day for audiobooks! I'm over at YALSA's Hub talking about some great audiobooks to listen to during your holiday travels!



I'd love if you'd head on over and comment!

Audio review: Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur

On a recent trip back down to the Twin Cities to see my family, I listened to Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur, read by Georgette Perna. This was unfortunately a really, really slow listening experience, though I think it could have been worse as a reading experience.

Synopsis: Elise and Franklin have always been best friends. Elise has always lived in the big house with her loving Uncle and Aunt, because Elise's parents died when she was too young to remember them.  There's always been a barn behind the house with eight locked doors on the second floor. When Elise and Franklin start middle school, things feel all wrong. Bullying. Not fitting in. Franklin suddenly seems babyish.  Then, soon after her 12th birthday, Elise receives a mysterious key left for her by her father. A key that unlocks one of the eight doors upstairs in the barn...(Goodreads.com) 

There is definitely one thing that really stood out for me and that was the narrator. I thought Georgette Perna did a great job, particularly with Elise and Franklin. There was just something about Elise's trouble life that worked well with the voice. When she was upset, I totally sympathized with her. When she was disdainful of how immature and "uncool" Franklin was acting, she sounded exactly like a typical sixth grader trying to be more mature than her age. And when she was so unhappy with school and the bullying she endured, I felt awful for her. Georgette Perna did a great job of vocalizing Elise's ups and downs. I truly felt awful for her but then I was irritated with her too, when she she was being mean to her best friend, Franklin. She felt like a true character.


Likewise, Franklin's pip squeaky voice is just how so many young sixth grade boys talk. He was so excited about science, about knights, and Star Wars. He felt like such a real character and I really enjoyed how he came alive in the audio book. I don't think he would have been quite as much fun just reading about him.


Unfortunately, this story is just rather slow. It's not all that long but it took forever on the discs to actually get to one of the main plot points, the eight keys that Elise discovers, a legacy from her dead father. There was so much set-up and it was not very action packed to move the story along. Then when she finally starts discovering the keys, things to pick up fortunately. Overall though, it was just a rather slow audio story.


That being said, there are some great themes explored in this book, including bullying. There is name-calling but just a sense of being very scared to go to work. And it shows the cycle of bullying too, as Amanda, the girl who bullies Elise, is bullied, and Elise herself starts to call Franklin names, something she hadn't done before. It was downright mean but I thought it was rather a powerful way to show how easily bullying can happen, even if, in Elise's case, it isn't something you intended. It also shows how bullying isn't always solved by adults unfortunately.


This is not a bad book by any means. It has some great lessons to learn and in the audio version, the characters' voices are really well done. The story is rather slow and I can see it losing readers along the way. Overall, a rather mixed bag listening experience. I love being glued in with my ears, so to speak, when I'm listening to audiobooks and this was not a story that did that. But it is a really approachable story for tweens to talk about bullying, changing friendships, and the roles parents play in their lives. Heavy concepts that sometimes weighed the story down but also gave it some important and well-articulated scenes.


This is a 5 hour, 12 minute audio CD, 4 discs, from Listening Library.


Reviewed from my public library copy.

Author Guest Post: In her Own Words Bio from Carol M. Tanzman

I'm very excited today to bring you a guest post from author Carol M. Tanzman. She is the author of dancergirl (you can read my review here) and today she is going to be telling you all a little bit about herself. So, get to know Carol and also be sure to follow the tour for a chance to enter to win an iPod nano!

In Her Own Words Bio

I’m a lover of all things performance-oriented: theatre, dance, music. It started, as so many things do, in NYC. I was five and my mom let me take tap lessons. Oh, yeah. Shuffle Ball-Change, the Time step—I was making noise and loving it! But then, shades of Footloose, we moved to a suburb that had no dance lessons––until the day Miss Maria moved into the neighborhood. She turned her basement into a studio and I rode my bike to class.

A few years later Miss Maria got divorced and sold her house, which ended my so-called dance career¬¬. To replace it, I turned to books. I read voraciously: with a flashlight at night, behind a cabinet in the den (when I supposed to be doing my chores), in class (hiding the book inside my desk).

It wasn’t until high school that I added two new loves: theatre and a boy I met at a cast party. He was the trombone player in the musical’s orchestra; I was on stage crew.  He asked me out––and then dared me to audition for The Crucible. I did—and got a small part. Bitten by the acting bug, I double-majored in college —English and Theatre. Heaven! I could read books during the day and act in plays at night. Junior year, the Theatre Department announced that their upcoming production The Wizard of Oz was going on tour to the Soviet Union during spring break. Everyone on campus, it seemed, auditioned––but it was the echoes of Miss Maria’s lessons that came to my rescue. Cast as a dancing poppy who “dances” Dorothy to sleep before she gets to Oz, my college dream came true—performing in Moscow!

Upon graduation, I became a professional theatre director. I ran a children’s theatre company in upstate New York before moving to NYC to direct new plays (both children’s and adult) in Off-Broadway and regional theatres. One day, during a script conference with a playwright, I realized I should stop trying to rewrite her work--and write my own.

That started me on my writing journey. Along the way, I got married (to a keyboard playing musician), had two children, and moved to Los Angeles. My first YA novel, The Shadow Place was published several years later.  It was chosen as an American Library Association Quick Pick book and was on the National Council of English Teachers’ ALAN Best Books list.

My newest novel is the YA thriller, dancergirl. It was both fun—and tricky––to write.  You don’t have to be a dancer to understand what my main character, Ali, goes through. I hope it’ll be exciting to read.  At night, under the covers, with a flashlight…

Thank you so much Carol for your post! It's great to hear about your background in theater which is incredibly interesting to hear about.

And here's your chance to win a copy of dancergirl and the grand prize, an iPod Nano! All you have to do is:

1.) The first give-away is copy of dancergirl. Enter by leaving a comment on this Tour Stop (and then confirm that you left a comment via Rafflecopter)

2.)The second give-away is an iPod nano, skinned in the dancergirl artwork!

Simply enter via the Rafflecoper widget and get extra entries for tweeting (once per TourStop), following Carol on twitter,"Like" her on facebook, leaving your mailing address (for faster shipment of the prize) and for leaving a comment at each Tour Stops (one extra entry for each TourStop)  

See full contest rules here.

Review: dancergirl by Carol M. Tanzman

dancergirl by Carol M. Tanzman is the first book in the WiHi series. It is another book in an emerging trend in YA lit which focuses on the performance arts. I say, the more the merrier!

Synopsis: A friend posted a video of me dancing online, and now I’m no longer Alicia Ruffino. I’m dancergirl. And suddenly it’s like me against the world—everyone’s got opinions.

My admirers want more, the haters hate, my best friend Jacy—even he’s acting weird. And some stalker isn’t content to just watch anymore.

Ali. dancergirl. Whatever you know me as, however you’ve seen me online, I’ve trained my whole life to be the best dancer I can be. But if someone watching has their way, I could lose way more than just my love of dancing. I could lose my life. (Goodreads.com)


The first thing I need to mention about this book is that there is a very definite and perceptible creep factor in this book. Ali is being watched and she is becoming paranoid but so was I. Very innocent acts, like receiving flowers after a great performance, took on a very sinister tone. Carol M. Tanzman definitely captured (what I can really only imagine) the feeling of being observed, of being stalked and played by someone who has evil intentions. That feeling is quite pervasive in this story.

This book also has a very strong contemporary feel. While there is no mention of YouTube, there is a made-up version used for the premise of the book, in which the videos that Ali stars in are made available to viewers all around the world. Comments range from really nice to very mean, as is real life. There is also push-back from her real life as her classmates either celebrate or scorn her "success." This felt incredibly real to me and something many teens would be feeling as they become internet "celebrities." Again, a great contemporary feel to this book. It's set in a world teens are going to so easily relate to because the actions of the characters, of their classmates, and of Ali herself are clearly how teens today are thinking and feeling.


I will say I did figure out who the stalker is very, very easily but that didn't really lessen any enjoyment. This is a fast-paced story that reads easily and I think will work great for reluctant readers. It's a good length, the plot isn't drawn out abnormally long and while it's not necessarily the most compelling mystery ever, the characters and their emotions stand out in a way that I think mimics real life teens very adeptly. 


This is not Printz quality writing or plotting or world building or anything but from a librarian stand-point, I think this is a book you will want to have in your collection. The cover does draw you in and I can see it being a title, particularly in a school setting, that will get passed around from teen to teen. I know I plan to add it to my collection. (That being said, there are instances of pot smoking in the book, in case you are in an extremely conservative community.)

dancergirl is available on November 15 from Harlequin Teen.

Other reviews: 
WhatchYAreading reviews dancergirl
 What's Your Thoughts on That Book reviews dancergirl


Come back tomorrow for a special guest post from author Carol M. Tanzman herself AND a chance to win a copy of dancergirl and an iPod Nano!!

ARC reviewed from publisher e-copy.

It's here! The first trailer for The Hunger Games!

What do you think?? I for one am now even MORE excited for this movie. It has to be my Harry Potter replacement basically.

Librarians and Public Speaking

At some point in your librarian career (and it's going to be sooner rather than later), you will be speaking in public. It doesn't matter if you're a public, academic, special or school librarian. It is going to happen to you. I hate to ruin your image of being safely ensconced in the library because it's not going to happen. Even if your MLIS program hasn't prepared you, it's still going to happen. And I'm not talking about book talks or even bibliographic instruction. You will be going out into your community to talk about why the library is important, to let people know what services you offer, to attend community meetings where your input is valuable.

Just last month alone I spoke to my Friends of the Library group, the local Kiwanis group, a home school group, and an ECFE group. If you truly, truly do not like public speaking, librarianship is not the career for you. I do not consider myself an amazing public speaker by any stretch of the imagination but I have learned how to get my message across, how not to bore my intended audience, and how to tailor my message TO my intended audience. I mean this very sincerely but if you think librarianship is about books and remaining pretty close behind the four walls of your library, just doing in house speaking, you are in for a rude awakening. When cuts start to happen, you have to be able to be a voice for the library organization.

I did not take a public speaking course during my MLIS but it was emphasized to me that I would be doing a lot of public speaking. I can only hope this is the message other students are getting because I have recently spoken with two future public librarians who were rather surprised to hear all the places I had traveled to and all the people I had spoken with. I am a youth librarian and I make my career out of helping kids from 0-18 but I can't forget the adults because I speak to a lot of adults too. It kind of comes hand in hand of course.

Watch and observe public speakers. See what works and what doesn't because you will be using that information. If you truly need it, take another public speaking course. But honestly, the more you do it, the better you will get. Like anything else, it is an ability that does become better with practice. While I'll never be truly comfortable speaking in public, I'm much better about managing my anxiety and nerves now and that goes a long way to making me not say "um" and "uh.." and other fillers quite so much.

Perhaps this is a topic that has been rehashed over and over in library land but honestly, when I was talking with my two future colleagues, they seems so surprised. But the fact is, you'll be speaking, A LOT. Get used to it. Take opportunities in school to network and if possible, present to groups other than your class. It will come in handy down the road.

What has been YOUR experience with public speaking in the library? Are you still nervous? Do you have any tips or tricks to share?

Picture Book Saturday (02)

With the holidays coming up very quickly, I wanted to share two beautiful Christmas themed picture books that have come across my desk lately along with a simply rollicking Hanukkah holiday book. These would make beautiful books for any young reader and out of all the new holiday books that I have seen lately, these are easily my favorites.

Lighthouse Christmas by Toni Buzzeo, with illustrations by Nancy Carpenter, is one of the most original and interesting holiday picture books I have read in a long time. The illustrations evoke a truly old-fashioned time period, where all the hullabaloo of Christmas did not turn towards the commercial, but rather, the caring and kindness towards others. It shows a family making do with very little, as they make sure that the lighthouse stays lit. It is a great discussion story because kids will want to know more about the Flying Santa Service and how it is still being used today. Plus, this book dips into the holiday spirit without getting too saccharine or schmaltzy. There is a nice story here that is only complemented by the ideas of giving of oneself over the holiday season. I fell in love with the illustrations of Pete and Frances and their cat and I think many others will too.

One Starry Night by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Jonathan Bean. This book is utterly gorgeous. From the simple story telling to the wonderful illustrations, this book scores on all Christmas wish lists. It has a slightly religious message, which should be obvious given the title and book cover, but it really resonates more as a story of hope and new beginnings. The wonders of the world that can be found. It is very accessible to young kids too since it uses animals kids are going to recognize. Dog and her pup, cat and her kitten, pig and her piglet, and more, all as they journey to see the birth of Jesus. The meaning comes through nice and clear. This is a book about love and that is the parting image that will stick with you. This is going to be a Christmas picture book classic, I guarantee it.

And I cannot forget about Erica Silverman and Steven D'Amico's wonderful and so much fun to read aloud The Hanukkah Hop! Doesn't the cover itself just look like fun?? What makes this book so particularly festive is that the text just rolls off the tongue. Parents and kids will want to read it aloud together to mimic the sounds. It adds a very lively flavor to the preparations of Hanukkah while also just giving kids unfamiliar with this holiday plenty to discuss. It's a great look at how the family comes together during the holidays to prepare and to celebrate. And the bright colors make it a truly wonderful book to look at.

Picture Book Saturday is the creation of A Patchwork of Books. Amanda shares new picture books every Saturday so be sure to visit her for other wonderful picture book reviews.

Romance Round-up: November 2011

Here are some of the romance titles I've reviewed lately.

 

Heart of Stell by Meljean Brook (A FABULOUS follow-up to The Iron Duke.)
A Beginner's Guide to Rakes by Suzanne Enoch (Great historical romance!)
Real Men Will by Victoria Dahl
The Next Always by Nora Roberts
Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt
Prey by Linda Howard
Angels of Darkness by Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Sharon Shinn and Meljean Brook

The Hunger Games Trailer Coming Soon!

Vanity Fair

The movie trailer for The Hunger Games will be premiering live on Good Morning America this coming Monday, November 14! I've been unaccountably excited for this film, more so than I am for most YA movies. Here's the full announcement for those of you (like me!) who can't wait to see the world of Hunger Games on the big screen.

LIONSGATE®, a leading global entertainment company, today announced an exclusive partnership with ABC's Good Morning America to world premiere the highly anticipated trailer for THE HUNGER GAMES.

The debut will be hosted in person by actor Josh Hutcherson (THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT), who plays the pivotal character of Peeta Mellark in the film, in the top rated 8:00 hour of the show on Monday, November 14th. In addition to airing nationwide, the trailer will also be shown in its entirety on Good Morning America's jumbotron in New York City's Times Square.

The partnership, which further distinguishes the film as a major motion picture event, will mark the first time ever that audiences will be exposed to sights and sounds from the film such as Katniss' home District 12 and the opulent Capitol. With 16 million copies of The Hunger Games in circulation, a vast audience of book fans will also undoubtedly tune in for the first chance to hear the beloved characters speak iconic lines of dialogue from its pages.

Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

I was reluctant to read Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races because of her popularity with the YA paranormal crowd. I very rarely read YA paranormal anymore but a fabulous review from The Book Smugglers (one of my most trusted review sources) convinced me otherwise. Frankly, I will never replicate the wonderfulness of their review as they are much more eloquent writers than me but I'm going to try.

Synopsis: It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die. 

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them. 

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen. (Goodreads.com)

This book really cemented what a fabulous writer Maggie Stiefvater is. I noticed it in Shiver (the only other Stiefvater book I've read), but it truly stands out in The Scorpio Races. The descriptions of the horses rising out of the sea, of besieging the local islanders, of killing cattle and attacking horses is very visceral and hair-raising. These horses are the reason I am afraid of horses! Under less talented hands, I think it would have been easy for the killer sea horses to be rather cartoonish and not genuinely frightening but rest assured, these could give you nightmares.

Set on the small island of Thisby, the legend of the killer sea horses comes to life against a back drop of a struggling island. Puck and Sean are the main characters in this story and it is their growth that propels this story forward. Yes, this book is about killer horses, but more than anything, it is about two characters who grow and change. It is about the local townspeople and how they struggle to survive as they see many of their young heading off to the mainland for new, better opportunities. It is the story of two characters who have nothing, who are a slaves to men with more money and more power. And it is about what drives them forward. This is not just a race, it is a struggle to overcome the odds life has thrown at them.

There is a strong romance that develops between Puck and Sean. It is not the sole focus of their individual stories but it is a romance that is very well-developed. Puck is not a girl who needs a man, who only thinks of him. She is a rational girl, working hard to make a better future for herself and her brothers, one who will be leaving her soon. But she finds a kindred soul in Sean, a guy who also has had to pave his own way in the world. As they train together and start to take chances with their feelings, their romance simply blossoms. This is the wonderful stuff love is made of. I will reiterate that while it is not the sole focus of this narrative, it is an incredibly pleasing aspect of it. 

This book, for all its otherworldly qualities with the sea horses, truly reminded me of a contemporary book. Maybe with a slightly historical setting but the focus is on the real life and how these races affect the life of Thisby's citizens. It's not truly about the horses. This is one of those rare books I think can be easily handed to fans of both contemporary or historical YA fiction AND paranormal YA fiction. It moves between the genres beautifully and it's one of those books that relies on characterization, writing, and quality storytelling to sell itself, and not gimmicks revolving around love triangles or angels or zombies (or insert your paranormal creature of choice).

The setting of Thisby, the citizens of the small island, along with the beautiful and ultimately destructive sea horses all add up to an engrossing story. While I found the middle lagging a bit, I was nevertheless pretty engrossed throughout most of the story. I enjoyed Puck's interactions with her brother, Finn, in particular. Theirs is a very fun sibling bond. I liked seeing the action develop around the races, see the competition and the rivalries blossom. I did not expect to enjoy this book as thoroughly as I did but I am very glad I read it. It's easily one of my favorite YA reads of 2011.

Other reviews:

The Compulsive Reader reviews The Scorpio Races

Novel Novice reviews The Scorpio Races

The Elliot Review reviews The Scorpio Races

ARC from Book Expo America.

Amazon Top 10 Books of 2011, Teen Edition

It's hard to believe, but it's getting to be that time of year again when various magazines and publications list their favorite books of the year. Amazon has released their Top 10 books of 2011 lists. There are many different categories but here is what they have for Teen Fiction:

1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
2. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
3. Exposed by Kimberly Marcus
4. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
5. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
6. The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
7. Divergent by Veronica Roth
8. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
9. You Against Me by Jenny Downham
10. Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans

I've made a good showing on these. Bolded titles are those I've read but haven't reviewed yet while linked titles will take you to my reviews. I've read several at any rate with a few of these being on my TBR pile.

I'm in definite agreement about The Scorpio Races. I just finished that this week (and will have a review tomorrow). It was a fabulous story. I read Between Shades of Gray and it is indeed well done but wow, it's a tough one to get through.

I do wonder why the Richard Paul Evans title is on there. I haven't read it myself but I'm curious as to why it made the cut. He's an adult author also, maybe that played a role in it?

With the exception of The Scorpio Races, none of these books make my own personal top 10 of 2011. My tastes run differently from Amazon readers I guess.

Do these titles really stand-out as the best of teen fiction in 2011? What do you think? What title is missing or overlooked?

Book Bloggers Holiday Swap!

Time is running out to get your name into the annual Book Blogger Holiday Swap. It's a fun way to get to know other bloggers, to spread holiday cheer, and to perhaps send some of your favorite older ARCs onto bloggers who haven't read them yet.

Sign-ups are still open! Be sure you check out the website and participate because you only have until Midnight, Friday, November 11 to get your hat into the ring. That's this coming Friday so get thee to the to the sign-up form and spread some holiday cheer to fellow bloggers!

Fall TV, revisited!

Well, fall TV season is officially kicked off and running. I'm enjoying way too much TV, as usual. However, there are several shows that I'm enjoying that weren't in my original fall TV plan. Here are a few of the shows I have become somewhat obsessed with. :)

I'm really liking ABC's Once Upon a Time! I love seeing who is revealed as which fairy tale character. Rumpelstiltskin in particular creeps me out, so well done show! I'm not even annoyed by Jennifer Morrison (who I HATED on How I Met Your Mother last season). I particularly want to know who the sheriff represents. I've read a few theories on who he could be but I can't wait for the big reveal. And I'm loving Ginnifer Goodwin, as I knew I would. She is adorable. The special effects aren't exactly the best but nonetheless, this is a show I'm enjoying.

Suburgatory is another show I'm enjoying! I first heard about this show at Pop Culture Junkie and I'm very glad I tuned in. It makes me laugh and groan and really enjoy Jeremy Sisto on my screen! It's not perfect, some episodes have been better than others, but all in all, it's a fun show. The humor can be kind of dead pan which I enjoy and yeah, I admit, I like seeing all the suburban cliches being played out with so much exaggeration. It's a fun show all in all!

I'm also really enjoying Hart of Dixie which just has a nice, old-fashioned WB feel to it. Rachel Bilson still isn't that believable as this super smart surgeon but I'm getting better about kind of believing it. I like the southern feel to the show and the different culture that represents for me because I've never really been exposed to the south in real life. It's interesting, though I'm sure once again exaggerated. Plus, this show has Wade who is just well, REALLY nice to watch on screen. It's been a good show so far though I do hope they make Scott Porter's character, George, a bit more exciting.

I never got into Ringer sadly, much as I love Sarah Michelle Gellar, so I gave up on that show. I also still haven't seen Pan Am which is a show I was interested in watching but I've only heard so-so things about it so it may be something I try in the summer, when I have no real TV to watch. I also gave up on The Secret Circle. It just wasn't moving fast enough for me. I've heard it's picked up a bit so I may give it a try this summer but for now, I'm okay holding off on it. I had really high hopes for it because I love Kevin Williamson but I am okay with not watching right now.

And I have to do one plug for my current favorite comedy, Parks & Recreation. If you haven't seen this show, get season 2 on DVD (you can skip season 1, honestly) and start watching. It makes me laugh-out-loud every single week and it has been a stellar fourth season so far. Ron Swanson is the man. I LITERALLY love Rob Lowe's character and seriously, Leslie Knope is a fabulous female character on TV. She is smart, kind of awkward, kind, and just genuine. Everything we should want to see in female TV characters. Really, this show needs more people watching it!

So, that's my TV talk so far this season. What new shows have been hits or misses with you? Anything I really need to watch that I've left out?

Review: Pie by Sarah Weeks

Pie by Sarah Weeks left me with a total craving for pie, topped by the enjoyment of a sweet story.

Synopsis: When Alice's Aunt Polly passes away, she takes with her the secret to her world-famous pie-crust recipe. Or does she? In her will, Polly leaves the recipe to her extraordinarily surly cat Lardo . . . and then leaves Lardo in the care of Alice.
Suddenly Alice is thrust into the center of a piestorm, with everyone in town trying to be the next pie-contest winner ... including Alice's mother and some of Alice's friends. The whole community is going pie-crazy . . . and it's up to Alice to discover the ingredients that really matter. Like family. And friendship. And enjoying what you do. (Goodreads.com)

Alice is positively heartbroken over losing her beloved Aunt Polly. But she is not thrilled about being the new caretaker of Polly's beloved cat, Lardo. The cat kind of scares Alice. He also proves to be a great catalyst for Alice's imagination, which is where so much of the fun in this book takes place. Alice imagines conspiracies are running amuck in her tiny hometown after Polly's death and she is not afraid to play detective, along with her friend, Charlie.

There is a lot of sweetness running throughout this book, but fortunately not of the saccharine, too sweet to bear, variety. Alice is a nice kid who is feeling lost after Polly dies. She doesn't think her mom appreciates her imagination and tendency to create her own little songs (something I do too!). She doesn't really have an affinity for pies like her aunt, she just enjoyed spending time with her. But now she has a mystery on her hands. The mystery fits the tone of the book. Light-hearted and nothing too deadly or scary, but rather a comical mystery that only a small town obsessed with pies could become embroiled in. Alice and Charlie as amateur sleuths is incredibly comical.

There is a new pie recipe at the beginning of each chapter of the book and if at least one of them does not make your mouth water, you are a better person than me! Coconut cream, chocolate cream, rhubarb pie and more! You may just be tempted to try your hand at a recipe (I know I am!).

I didn't much care for the epilogue, it bordered on the over the top for me, but overall, I thought Pie was rather scrumptious. Sarah Weeks makes me smile and this is a nice tween read that will work well for younger readers as well as eleven and twelve year old kids. It is a historical (set in 1955) and the time period helps give the town and its characters a sense of place that fits in well with just why they are so pie-obsessed. All in all, a nice and easy read with a dollop of humor!

Add this book to a display featuring The Cupcake Diaries (another Scholastic book series), Lisa Schroeder's It's Raining Cupcakes, and its sequel, Sprinkles and Secrets, along with Bake Sale by Sara Varon and you're well on your way to a tasty and decadently sweet display for your baking inclined tweens.

Pie is a Scholastic book and is currently available.

Other reviews:
Reading Everywhere reviews Pie
Waking Brain Cells reviews Pie

Copy reviewed from library.

Recent library programs!

October was a very busy month at my library, particularly for programs. Now, I am the only youth librarian in my library so I do not only all the buying of books, the cataloging, reference work, story times, outreach and programs so I don't necessarily have as many programs as a larger library system would have. However, I was very pleased with the programs that happened in October and I had good attendance at just about all of them.

I had my very first teen program at my new library. It was a henna program. Henna was very popular at my last library and I just decided to go with something I was fairly comfortable with at this point since my new library has never had any teen programs whatsoever. I had a total of five teens turn out. I know that number isn't very large but I was pleased. When I do henna, what I do is find patterns in books or online that may look like something the teens would want to do. Just about all of the time they don't actually follow those patterns and that is totally fine. They may take bits and pieces of it and add them to their own designs making for some really creative henna tattoos. Plus, this is a great program to just socialization. I had four girls and one boy turn up for the program and the girls, who were all at least a year or two older, gladly helped the boy with his designs and drew on him just like they had drawn on each other. I mostly stayed out of the way after I told them a bit of history about henna and then how to take care of it their design after. It's a very easy program and the teens were all clamoring to do it again. I will probably do it in the summer when we might be able to do it outside which then allows the henna to dry quicker.

I had two kids programs in October also. Each October, Minnesota gives students 2-3 days off of school for MEA. I knew I wanted to hold one program during that time period to have something for parents to bring their kids to, to see what new materials the library had to offer, and to just get people in the door. I decided to do these toilet tube monsters. I had 26 kids show up with a mess of parents of attached and it turned out to be a fun program. I had covered all the tables beforehand which cut down quite a bit of the clean up after. I had allotted one hour to do this program but in reality it went over an hour, particularly because some of the creations had to dry a bit before parents were willing to take them home. However, I was really impressed with all the little monsters that came out of the program. For me, this program was basically free. My library had a ton of these educational points so I was able to buy lots of paint and paintbrushes with those points, which cost me nothing. Additionally, all the library staff, and the Friends of the Library, saved toilet paper and paper tube rolls for me so I didn't have to spend money there either. The cleanup I had after was just really washing out the brushes.

Then, last week I tackled a very major program, at least by my standards. I had a pumpkin carving program at the library. It was a registration required program. I tend not to do many registration required programs because I think it keeps people away, rather than inviting them in. But in this case, I needed some idea of how many pumpkins to buy. I felt very fortunate because the local grocery store cut the prices of the pumpkins for my library because I had to buy 30 of them for the program. Again, I prepped the room, covering the tables and getting extra garbage cans from the maintenance department. (Do this! It truly helps.) I also had purchased 25 pumpkin carving kits. It was the only way I could think to do the carving without people having to bring big knives to the program when there would be a lot of children running around.

I had 25 families register for the program but bought 30 pumpkins because I knew there would be some drop-ins, and I was right. There were also one or two cancellations of the registered people so all in all, total attendance was about 55 people, adults and kids. It was messy, loud, warm, but lots of fun. There were no accidents, I had refreshments on hand, and some band-aids on hand just in case. The program was scheduled for an hour and a half and that worked out well, particularly since a few families came later and by then, there was more space and more tools to work with because some of the other families were working on different parts of the pumpkins by then.

I felt very lucky because my Friends of the Library is really the group that made this program happen for me. They donated the money to buy the pumpkins which you know, was pretty necessary. I think I want to do this again next year but I want to find more safety carving knifes rather than the carving kits I had purchased because towards the end of the program, they were breaking and bending after so much use.

There were lots of compliments at the end of the pumpkin carving program so I definitely want to do it again. I know a lot of people signed up because A) free pumpkin (one per family) and B) all the mess was at the library and not at home. I also did have a craft, this ghost paper plate which was a big hit. A lot of the families did that after their pumpkins. All in all, it was a very well received program that got a lot of people into the library. I had fun and I know the participants did too.

Today, I am doing a Lego program because the kids are off of school again and I've been trying to schedule my programming towards when they have breaks. I think it should go well!

If you have any questions about these programs, please ask! My next big programming month is December as I'm doing several things over the winter break.