What are you reading? 9/1-9/15

I thought before the What Are You Reading Now thread goes on for pages and pages, we could break what we're reading now down into weeks? Does that seem to work for people?

Right now I'm reading Mates, Dates Simply Fabulous which is the first four books in the series. I just finished the first book (they are super quick reads) and thought it was cute. Good, not great, but certainly worth picking up. A nice little guilty pleasure; though the Traveling Pants books do the same thing, but better. Got a big stack of YA lit from Amazon including: Whores on the Hill, Bass Ackwards and Belly Up, Rock Star Superstar, Guitar Highway Rose, King Dork, Kira Kira, and Leap Day. I finished Leap Day and Guitar Highway Rose, the rest are on my to-do list. I'm really excited about Bass Ackwards and Belly Up; has anyone read it?

Annie

I was just thinking that that thread was getting a bit too long!

Right now I'm reading Tithe by Holly Black. It was recommended by a friend, and I'm enjoying it enough that I plan to buy her next book when it comes out in paperback at the end of the month. It was so engrossing that I missed my subway stop while reading yesterday, which is probably a good sign.

I don't know what YA stuff I'll be reading after that, though, since my reading time is about to be drastically reduced and there were a bunch of other books I had been planning to read this summer.

I've just finished Polly and the Pirates by Ted Naifeh, which is a very cute little graphic novel for the lower end of the YA market, featuring a 13 year old who is abducted by pirates. That's likely to be it for a week or three...

I like the idea of making the "current reading" thread fortnightly but can I make a plea on behalf of European members of the YA readers group? Could the dates be in long format e.g. 1 Sept 2006 - 15 Sept 2006 (or Sept 1 2006 - Sept 15 2006)? It simply makes parsing the title easier!

I'm reading Louis Rennison's second book in the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson's series, On the Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God

I just read Sex Kittens and Horn Dawgs fall in love and loved it. The title gave me pause, since I'm in a K-8 school library, but it's not about S*E*X, but is instead a lively, innocent (1 French kiss) story about 1st year high schoolers in NYC at a private school, who are investigating the "X" factor - the mysterious element of attraction between people. Funny and insightful. The title's going to grab them (which is why I had to read it before parents got a look at it), but I think they'll keep on reading and really like it. Who (including parents) hasn't had an inexplicable crush on someone?
And the setting is pure New York.

Thanks for starting this new thread!

I just finished New Moon (like five minutes ago). I loved it! It is the sequel to Twilight. I loved these books so much, my sister-in-law and I are taking a road trip to Cincinnati, OH from Wisconsin to see Stephenie Meyer speak and attend an "I Love Edward Cullen" party and book signing. In case you are wondering that is about 10 hours of driving! Call me crazy, but I am excited!!

I think I may even start a new thread about these books! I want to know what others think will happen in book 3!

Just finished Bass Ackwards and Belly Up, which I was so excited about! I thought it sounded like a really interesting read and a great premise. After actually reading it, though, I'm less than impressed. It's cliche, the characters aren't well rounded and the writing is almost painful! It just didn't seem plausible. One of the four friends didn't get into college, so she decides to go after her dream of writing a novel. The other two then decide to also forgo college to pursue their dreams. Kate goes to Europe, yet they never explained why that was her dream in the first place. Wouldn't recommend it. Not sure what is up next. Maybe Rock Star Superstar? I LOVE Blake Nelson.

I've been visiting the library in my area about once a week for the past month or so, and most of the titles I've checked out have been YA literature.

My most recent finish was Eoin Colfer's The Supernaturalist, which I finished this afternoon. I really enjoyed this book, and I hope he writes more in this particular universe. The Artemis Fowl books are entertaining, but I felt this one had more body to it somehow.

I'm not sure what I'll be reading next. I need to get The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf for my collection, but that'll need to be special ordered as none of the stores in the area have it in stock. I'll probably finish up Have Space Suit--Will Travel, then move onto one of my other library books.

I'm a big Gerald Morris fan, too. Unfortunately, he's not well known and quite under-appreciated, judging by the copies of his books sitting neglected on my public library's bookshelves. Whenever I talk with someone who is interested in sophisticated fantasy, especially Arthurian romance, I try to plug Morris. He's erudite, articulate, and often incredibly funny, in a dry, sly way. I think his earlier books are the best, but I still eagerly await each new release. I think The Squire's Tale is his first-- it's the first I remember reading, anyway. Very droll stuff, indeed.

Just finished Blind Faith by Ellen Wittlinger and a debut novel, When it Happens, by Susane Colasanti. Both pretty good. Except for The Long Night of Leo and Bree, Wittlinger has never disappointed me. Colasanti's book is way short on drama and tension, but it's a sweet story nonetheless. Maybe a little too sweet (precious?) for my taste, but Colasanti writes well-- pretty good dialog, funny characters. Worth a look, anyway.

Louise Rennison's Georgia Nicolson books almost always put me in danger of shooting fizzy drink out of my nose. If you like those book you'll probably also enjoy Girl, 15, Charming but Insane by Sue Limb. Currently, I'm reading my way through Meg Cabot's Mediator series.

I recently went into my younger daughter's room and pulled out all the books I'd bought for her which had looked good to me at the time. They're stacked in my room now, and I'm going to plow through them before the holidays ... or at least try to. :D

Read The Silver Crown by Robert C. O'Brien last night. It was ... eh, so-so. I'm about 1/3 of the way though The Boggart by Susan Cooper now. A much better book, but then I love her Dark is Rising series. Last week I read a couple of the Gregor books by Suzanne Collins. I would have liked them to be more detailed, but for their intended age group, I though they were fine.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, thanks to recommendations from this group.

I LOVED Inkheart and really enjoyed Thief Lord also...you have just reminded me to go back and take a look at Inkspell...heard it was a great read as well from some of my younger friends.