August--What are you reading?

CR: They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky
L2 (listening to): Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
JF (Just finished): The Blind Side by Michael Lewis
LF2 (Looking forward to): More books for class...

CR: The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman (just started)
JF: not surprisingly, Pullman's The Subtle Knife
LF2: Boy Proof by Cecil Castellucci and HP7 in the next month or so.

Shereads: how are you enjoying Elsewhere?

I loved Elsewhere!

I am currently reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life and enjoying it. Next up will probably be The Invention of Hugo Cabret because it is a library book and already overdue!

I just completed Elsewhere. :) I will be reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Names Will Never Hurt Me by Jaime Adoff, and Who Am I Without Him by Sharon Flake. I also want to try to read a couple of the Alex Award winners.

I'm working on reading all of the Nutmeg Award nominees. It's voted on each year by CT children, and generally represents a wide variety of genres and interests. So far my favorite is The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, which I enjoyed enough to pick up the sequel (which, unfortunately, I found to be a little tedious...I probably won't pick up the third).

Just started New Moon today

I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows two days after it was released. On Saturday of this week I got four books in the mail and I just finished the last one, and I read them in this order: Blue Bloods, Feed, The Earth, My Butt, & other BIG Round Things, and finally the perks of being a wallflower.

I plan to read A Separate Peace and The Chocolate War in the next couple of days. By the way I would highly recommend all of the first four books that I mentioned. They were all very good!

By the way I have no idea why some of the touchstones aren't working.

I'm currently reading Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith.

Finished a reread of Sense and Sensibility, and am working on Troll Bridge: a rock 'n' roll fairy tale. My summer classes are done (!!!) so I should have time to read a lot of fun stuff this month before heading back into the fall semester.

The YA book I'm currently reading is Wildwood Dancing. It's a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, with a few other fairy and folk tales integrated into the story. It's a bit predictable, but it's not bad. I like it.

#10 -- I loved Wildwood Dancing! It's on my list of books to buy when funds permit.

Right now, I just finished Tithe: a modern faerie tale and Koyal Dark, Mango Sweet, and am started on Time Cat. Feed is on my list, hopefully in time to join the discussion, and I'm also looking forward to I Am Rembrandt's Daughter.

hopefully in time to join the discussion

It's never too late to join the discussion!

CR: The Reappearance of Sam Webber
JF: The Wall and the Wing
LF2: Led Zeppelin Crashed Here

The Wall and the Wing was a recommendation from someone here on LT, and I'm very glad I followed up on it-- it's right up my alley. I've put in a suggestion with my local public library to purchase the sequel, The Chaos King.

I just finished Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick - it's a really great YA novel that's told from the perspective of an 8th grade boy whose brother is diagnosed with leukemia. It's not the kind of book I would normally enjoy but it manages to deal with serious issues while still being funny and sweet. I'd highly recommend it!

Also on my plate is Khaled Hossenis's A Thousand Splendid Suns which I'm really impressed with so far and next up is the highly recommended Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.

(Touchstones only quasi-working, sorry.)

Today I started The Off Season (sequel to Dairy Queen) by Catherine Gilbert Murdock. I'm feeling a bit anxious about it because from what I've heard it is much more serious than Dairy Queen, which I adored.

Since I last posted, I have finished New Moon and can't wait till it's my turn at the library for Eclipse

I just finished The Giver today and have now started Gathering Blue.

Having just got back from the library the other day my tbr pile is full of YA. Here's what's next for me:
The Messenger, Gossamer (I'm on a Lois Lowry kick!), Feed, Pure Dead Wicked, King of the Middle March and Rebel Angels

I just went to the bookstore and bought Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer. I really can't stress enough how excellent this series is. The whole Vampire thing can be a turn off to some people but if you give them a chance I think you'll enjoy the characters.

Just finished Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer and I'm starting to reread the Harry Potters, now that I can read all 7!

I just finished The Game of Sunken Places by M.T. Anderson. I read it in part because Anderson seems to attract both positive and negative reviews.

IS The Game of Sunken Places like Jumanji (sp?)? I did like that one.

I read Eclipse {Stephenie Meyer} last night, and I'm starting to reread it (in my tired state, I'm sure I missed heaps)

Afterwards, probably Ironside {Holly Black}. yay!

{The touchstones aren't working.}

That is because you have the wrong characters on, you are supposed to use the brackets. You are pushing shift and then the bracket button, don't do that.

Okay, so far this month I've read The Burning Bridge, Viking Warrior, Atherton, Dragon Slippers, The Moorchild, Westmark, The Kestrel, The Beggar Queen, Mortal Engines, and Predator's Gold. I am eagerly awaiting reading The Icebound Land, Sunset, Infernal Devices, and A Darkling Plain.

I only saw TV blurbs about Jumanji, but The Game of Sunken Places is like what I remember about those blurbs. Right now I am reading M.T. Anderson's Feed. So far it is a little like Gossip Girl meets the Jetsons meets 1984.

I'm reading a highly obscure book, Evelyn Finds Herself by Josephine Elder. It's a girls' school story from 1929 but I have to say that it's quite excellent, much more surprising and perceptive than I'd expected. It's a coming-of-age story, covering the last 3 years of school and showing how a strong old friendship between two girls is strained as they develop different interests, different friends, and even begin to test the values that they'd always shared. In particular, it explores the way they make judgements of the people in authority around them--the older pupils, the teachers, finally their own peers and even themselves as they move into their final year at school.
This is one of the better YA books I've read in some time. It does feel dated, but a lot could be done with it.

I am rereading Coraline by Gaiman to prepare for my students! This is our first novel for the school year. Just looking to engage them right off.

Hi - Stupid question here, but I noticed a few people using "CR", "JF", "L2" and "LF2".

I figured out what CR, JF and L2 meant, but what is LF2. Can't seem to figure that one out, and it's probably so easy. Hey, it's after midnight, I'm tired...that's why my brain isn't functioning now. ha-ha.

Thanks and Happy Reading!"
Good night. :)

Just started ECLIPSE by Stephenie Meyer.

CR:Anne of Avonlea
JF:Anne of Green Gables
LF: Anne of the Island

Yeah... predictable LOL

#27 Coraline will do it...should hook em...what a cool teacher you will be... I have just started Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen...funny so far.

I finished Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer last night and have read volumes 5 and 6 of Her Majesty's Dog over the last couple days.

Just finished In the Coils of the Snake, and am almost done with a desperation purchased copy of Marvelous Effect (could no library in our county have purchased it?!) - which I think will appeal to Pendragon fans.

Our copy of "Eclipse" hasn't appeared yet, either. I may have to visit Borders again this week!

Also just finished my ARC of "Gifted" and have a very overdue ILL of Wartime Women.

23: Yeah, I tried them with the right ones first, but seeing as it didn't work, I figured I'd use the {} brackets, because they're pwetty.

{still reading Eclipse, btw}

CR: Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks by Mick Foley (this is a reread, I adore Mick Foley)

JF: Chasing Tail Lights by Patrick Jones- very moving, with an ending that not many authors would be brave enough to leave a reader with. I can't say that I "enjoyed" it- a realistic fiction tale of incest and poverty isn't often enjoyed- but I admired the writing and really grew to care about the characters.

what's next....I'm 3rd in line at the library for both Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer and The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan, so I'll be leaping on either of those as soon as I get the call that they're ready for me.

Sherrie

Finished The Secret of the Rose by Sarah L. Thompson over the weekend, and Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism today. In the non-YA realm, I also read The Eyre Affair recently, and am looking forward to reading the sequel to that , Lost in a Good Book, as well as The Hollow Kingdom.

#28 -- "JF" = Just Finished, "CR" = Currently Reading, "L2" = Listening To, "LF2" = Looking Forward To. Hope that helps! I think they were defined in an earlier month.

JF: Alyzon Whitestarr - loved it!
CR: Blood and Chocolate interesting
LF2: The Forbidden Land

cloudstreet by (tim winton) ...embracing the Australian culture =)

I finished The Off Season by Catherine Murdock last night. After loving Dairy Queen I didn't think I would really like this book as much, but I did. It is much more serious with the issues it deals with but it was incredibly well told and very interesting.

Reading:Behind the curtain
next up: either Maximum ride, Fear nothing, or mabey another book I discover

I have just added the whole Stephanie Meyer Twilight series to my wishlist. How did I miss this series for so long?? The official descriptions sound interesting but it's the word of mouth that's making me really eager to read them!!

Just finished Rules - spectacular.

JF: Nineteen Minutes and Someone Like You
CR: A Seperate Peace

I reread Spindle's End, and then The Hollow Kingdom for next month's discussion -- I can hardly wait!

I am reading the Mediator books by Meg Cabot. Fairly entertaining, but somewhat light.

I just finished an ARC of Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature, due out later this month. It was a great read! Fans of Speak will really like this one, I think- it has many similarities, incluing a strong, likable protagonist.

And of course I read Eclipse as soon as it came out. Squee!

I just finished A Great and Terrible Beauty and am reading Rebel Angels. I hope the third one's worth the wait.

I read Keturah and Lord Death in one day. Lord Death and John Temsland were both dishy!

Working on Everlost now -- with Pirates! by Celia Rees next in line.

I also started The Two Princesses of Bamarre, but it didn't hold my interest.

Then I'm going to have to track down The Hollow Kingdom if I want to participate in September's book talk!

I just finished Everlost, and I have to say I highly recommend it. Wow!
A unique and intriguing book, with a very unexpected romantic interest!

I'm reading Only Revolutions by Mark Z. Danielewski, A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami, and Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco. I might have to give up on Foucault's Pendulum, though-- it's getting a bit too tedious! Next on the list: The Hollow Kingdom, for next month's discussion (I had to go to four different bookstores and six different branches to find it, so it better be good!) and House of Leaves.

Picked up Nancy Farmer's The House of the Scorpion at our library only to remember that I had read it already (before LT). It's a powerful read, a bit disturbing but good. I have next to read Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins, Hoot by Carl Hiaasen and Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. I would love to know what you thought of any of the above.

I did see Feed in the library. I may have to pick that up too.

I'm surprised at how difficult it was to find The Hollow Kingdom. I see it in almost every bookstore here in Canada, but I was in the US a couple of weekends ago and thought I'd pick it up there to take advantage of the exchange rate--but despite going to numerous Borders and Barnes and Nobles, it was nowhere to be found and I ended up buying it here after all.

JF: All four books in the Balefire series by Cate Tiernan
CR: The Worst Witch all at Sea

Zoe, I live in the Philippines and we usually import most books from the US, so it makes sense that it was just as hard to find it over here. I picked up The Hollow Kingdom last night intending to read it for just half an hour, and ended up finishing the whole book! Have you managed to get into it yet? It's... well, I guess I should wait for the discussion to start!

I haven't started it yet because I have so many other books on the go, but I'm really looking forward to it--I've heard so many good things!

I think I somehow skipped actually listing what I'm reading this month.
JF: Courtesan by Dora Levy Mossanen--not recommended, though I loved her earlier book Harem
CR: A History of Greek Mathematics Volume 1 (for school), which is interesting but obviously not for anyone, and 28: Stories of AIDS in Africa, which is fantastic and easily the best book I've read all year. I'm also meaning to work on King John of Canada and The Prestige, both of which I'm halfway through and being strongly encouraged by other people to finish.
LF2: The Hollow Kingdom, of course!

Last night I was in the mood for something sweet and simple so I started reading Getting Lost With Boys, a teen romance by Hailey Abbott which was in my tbr pile. Two hours later I finished the book and have to say it was exactly what I was looking for. I really enjoyed the story a lot. Great fluffy fun!!

I've read Firegold, Pirate Curse, Pirate Emperor, Dragons from the Sea by Judson Roberts, Jango, and Marco's Millions. Next up are Shadowmancer and Shadowmancer Returns.

I just finished Life As We Knew It -- Phew. That was intense. I liked it a lot better than How I Live Now, though there are a lot of similarities between the two. Now I really need some fluff to clear my brain, or I'm not going to be able to get to sleep tonight!

CR: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

I finished Life As We Knew It last night, and have about the same reaction you did - phew! That book was heavy. I couldn't put it down - I was up till about four in the morning finishing it. "Food? I can get food?" Amazing.

I just finished Francesca Lia Block's The Hanged Man. Way outside my experience, being male and not exactly a young adult. Very lyrical narrative.

Early this month I read (for the first time) Twilight, and I promptly bought New Moon. I had to wait a weekend before Eclipse was released, then read that. I love, love, love that series!
I'm now re-reading The Bell Jar. Next on my list is Clown Girl by Monica Drake.

I'm in the middle of Eclipse now, and I've recently finished The Hollow Kingdom and The Gatekeepers which was a crazy look at the admissions process of American colleges.

Edited to get rid of a bad touchstone, although it seems to have killed the other ones, which now are also not loading.

Finished Maximum Ride series (first three are only ones out so far) and totally nonplussed by it. Patterson may be good at the murder mysteries he's been doing for decades, but this foray into YA seems to be too dumbed down for my tastes.

I'd love to hear others' comments about it.

I have the first Maximum Ride in my TBR pile, but haven't had a chance to read it yet.

Yesterday I started So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld. I've liked all his books that I've read so far (some more than others) and he has an amazing imagination.