This could serve as a quick read, a coffee table book, and educational text, or just a good old time! Definitely with the money, this one!
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| Historical Heartthrobs (click here to purchase) |
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Book 12 - Historical Heartthrobs: 50 Timeless Crushes - from Cleopatra to Camus
Book 12: Historical Heartthrobs: 50 Timeless Crushes - from Cleopatra to Camus by Kelly Murphy with Hallie Fryd
This could serve as a quick read, a coffee table book, and educational text, or just a good old time! Definitely with the money, this one!
This could serve as a quick read, a coffee table book, and educational text, or just a good old time! Definitely with the money, this one!
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Book 9 - The Infinite Moment of Us
Book 9: The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle
I literally just finished reading the book moments. Tears in my eyes, snots running down my face, heart aching with the thought of young love - Myracle really knows how to write the perfect teenage love story!
"For as long as she can remember, Wren Gray’s goal has been to please her parents. But as high school graduation nears, so does an uncomfortable realization: Pleasing her parents once overlapped with pleasing herself, but now . . . not so much. Wren needs to honor her own desires, but how can she if she doesn’t even know what they are?
Charlie Parker, on the other hand, is painfully aware of his heart’s desire. A gentle boy with a troubled past, Charlie has loved Wren since the day he first saw her. But a girl like Wren would never fall for a guy like Charlie—at least not the sort of guy Charlie believes himself to be.
And yet certain things are written in the stars. And in the summer after high school, Wren and Charlie’s souls will collide. But souls are complicated, as are the bodies that house them . . .
Sexy, romantic, and oh-so-true to life, this is an unforgettable look at first love from one of young adult fiction’s greatest writers." [Amazon.com]
I remember meeting Lauren at a book signing last summer. We didn't talk much, but her stories really captured my interest. Students will be sure to love her novels. I sure do!
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| The Infinite Moment of Us (click here to purchase) |
"For as long as she can remember, Wren Gray’s goal has been to please her parents. But as high school graduation nears, so does an uncomfortable realization: Pleasing her parents once overlapped with pleasing herself, but now . . . not so much. Wren needs to honor her own desires, but how can she if she doesn’t even know what they are?
Charlie Parker, on the other hand, is painfully aware of his heart’s desire. A gentle boy with a troubled past, Charlie has loved Wren since the day he first saw her. But a girl like Wren would never fall for a guy like Charlie—at least not the sort of guy Charlie believes himself to be.
And yet certain things are written in the stars. And in the summer after high school, Wren and Charlie’s souls will collide. But souls are complicated, as are the bodies that house them . . .
Sexy, romantic, and oh-so-true to life, this is an unforgettable look at first love from one of young adult fiction’s greatest writers." [Amazon.com]
I remember meeting Lauren at a book signing last summer. We didn't talk much, but her stories really captured my interest. Students will be sure to love her novels. I sure do!
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| Lauren Myracle |
Book 8: The [New Kind of] Little Golden Book
Book 8: Everything I Need to Know I Learned From a Little Golden Book by Diane Muldrow
For those of you who grew up on Little Golden Books, you will definitely enjoy this light-hearted treasure.
"A humorous "guide to life" for grown-ups! One day, Diane Muldrow, a longtime editor of the iconic Little Golden Books, realized that, despite their whimsical appearance, there was hardly a real-life situation that hadn't been covered in the more than 70-year-old line of children's books—from managing money, to the importance of exercise, to finding contentment in the simplest things. In this age of debt, depression, and diabetes, could we adults use a refresher course in the gentle lessons from these adorable books, she wondered—a "Little Golden guide to life"? Yes, we could! Muldrow's humorous yet practical tips for getting the most out of life ("Don't forget to enjoy your wedding!" "Be a hugger." "Sweatpants are bad for morale."), drawn from more than 60 stories, are paired with delightful images from these best-loved children's books of all time—among them The Poky Little Puppy, Pantaloon, Mister Dog, Nurse Nancy, We Help Mommy, Five Pennies to Spend, and The Little Red Hen. The Golden greats of children's illustration are represented here as well: Richard Scarry, Garth Williams, Eloise Wilkin, J. P. Miller, and Mary Blair, among many others. Sure to bring memories and a smile, this book is a perfect gift for baby boomers, recent grads, lovers of children's literature—or anyone who cherishes the sturdy little books with the shiny cardboard covers and gold foil spines!" [Amazon.com]
For those of you who grew up on Little Golden Books, you will definitely enjoy this light-hearted treasure.
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| Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Little Golden Book (click here to purchase) |
Book 7 - The Book That Will Make You Love Books
Book 7: The Book That Will Make You Love Books by Francoize Boucher
I attended the Illinois Reading Council Annual Conference in Springfield on March 12-14. I had a wonderful time! Of course, I go to reading conferences to learn how to better support their reading endeavors, but I'll be honest: I also go to reading conferences for my own secret obsession with books! Let me tell you - I was in heaven at this conference.
While sitting in a session about new and notable books for young adults, the woman presenting the session held this book and up said, "Do you have students who simply hate reading? Students who simply refuse to read? Hand them this and tell them to read it." Boucher's little book is quite impressive as it presents students with reasons to love reading and things to do with books if you do not enjoy reading (tear them up, burn them, stand on them, etc.).
This is a fun read - enjoy!
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| The Book That Will Make You Love Books (click here to purchase) |
While sitting in a session about new and notable books for young adults, the woman presenting the session held this book and up said, "Do you have students who simply hate reading? Students who simply refuse to read? Hand them this and tell them to read it." Boucher's little book is quite impressive as it presents students with reasons to love reading and things to do with books if you do not enjoy reading (tear them up, burn them, stand on them, etc.).
This is a fun read - enjoy!
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Book 6 - Fallen Beauty
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| Fallen Beauty (click here to purchase) |
As Historical Fiction is easily my favorite genre, Erika Robuck is easily my favorite HF author. Jump to my previous blogs about two of her books I read last summer:
Call Me Zelda is one of the first books I read that led me to fall in love with the roaring 20s. But since first reading that novel, I was instantly smitten with Robuck's style of writing. After reading Call Me Zelda, I learned that Robuck was going to tell the story of one of my very favorite authors - Edna St. Vincent Millay! I preordered Fallen Beauty and began reading it the second it came in the mail!
"'Without sin, can we know beauty? Can we fully appreciate the summer without the winter? No, I am glad to suffer so I can feel the fullness of our time in the light.'"
Upstate New York, 1928. Laura Kelley and the man she loves sneak away from their judgmental town to attend a performance of the scandalous Ziegfeld Follies. But the dark consequences of their night of daring and delight reach far into the future.…
That same evening, Bohemian poet Edna St. Vincent Millay and her indulgent husband hold a wild party in their remote mountain estate, hoping to inspire her muse. Millay declares her wish for a new lover who will take her to unparalleled heights of passion and poetry, but for the first time, the man who responds will not bend completely to her will.…
Two years later, Laura, an unwed seamstress struggling to support her daughter, and Millay, a woman fighting the passage of time, work together secretly to create costumes for Millay’s next grand tour. As their complex, often uneasy friendship develops amid growing local condemnation, each woman is forced to confront what it means to be a fallen woman…and to decide for herself what price she is willing to pay to live a full life.
“Lovers of the Jazz Age, literary enthusiasts, and general historic fiction readers will find much to love about Call Me Zelda. Highly recommended.” –Historical Novel Society, Editors’ Choice [GoodReads.com]
I was extremely upset when I finished this book. Robuck explains that she is currently working on her next novel, but she refused to disclose any further information on who her next male subject will be!
Book 5 - It's Kind of a Funny Story
Book 5: It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
Jason bought me the BEST gift for my birthday - tickets to see a Broadway performance of Phantom of the Opera. On February 15, we spent the evening downtown Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theater. I could spend days talking about how romantic, enjoyable, and thrilling our evening was, but I'll simply say that it was perfect.
The book itself was great. It was a quick read, and Ned Vizzini completely pulled me into his style of writing. This would be great for high school students ( I wouldn't go any lower than that).
As I'm writing this, I JUST came across this information: Ned Vizzini, 32, Dies: Wrote Teenage Novels. I hate to say this, but I feel extremely angry. Vizzini, who wrote books about teenage struggles and held help groups for depressed teens, goes ahead and takes his own life? Look at the weakness! Look at the hypocrisy, the irony of this situation! I feel almost gypped for falling into his lies.
Anyway, aside from this, I believe that Vizzini had a true passion and talent, so I highly recommend this book.
Jason bought me the BEST gift for my birthday - tickets to see a Broadway performance of Phantom of the Opera. On February 15, we spent the evening downtown Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theater. I could spend days talking about how romantic, enjoyable, and thrilling our evening was, but I'll simply say that it was perfect.  |
| It's Kind of a Funny Story (click here to purchase) |
The book itself was great. It was a quick read, and Ned Vizzini completely pulled me into his style of writing. This would be great for high school students ( I wouldn't go any lower than that).
As I'm writing this, I JUST came across this information: Ned Vizzini, 32, Dies: Wrote Teenage Novels. I hate to say this, but I feel extremely angry. Vizzini, who wrote books about teenage struggles and held help groups for depressed teens, goes ahead and takes his own life? Look at the weakness! Look at the hypocrisy, the irony of this situation! I feel almost gypped for falling into his lies.
Anyway, aside from this, I believe that Vizzini had a true passion and talent, so I highly recommend this book.
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