2011

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

2011, Books in Bed, Favorites, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

Oops! I finished Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children ages ago and forgot to write about it. How I could have forgotten is beyond me. It took me so long to get to it, after wanting to read it for – forever and then it was so freaky good, freaky being an understatement here.

TW wouldn’t read it – the photos freaked her out. I can see why. This is a book that could give you nightmares, if you’re inclined to nightmares about freaky people (which I’m not.)  What brilliant idea to take these odd photos and write a story, about kids (mostly), around them. Super smart. Interesting plot. I’m dying to know what happens next – though I’m a bit troubled by Jacob and Emma. I almost didn’t want there to be a sequel because I’m not super comfortable with their relationship.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children Read More »

Reckless

2011, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

Reckless. Confusing. It reads like a sequel but it’s not a sequel. I didn’t like that. I didn’t like it that I felt like I’d missed out on a ton of stuff – when I hadn’t. I’m a stickler for reading books in a series in order. This one made me feel like I was reading out of order and that made the whole book less enjoyable.

It wasn’t just me, either. TW thought it was a sequel (though she doesn’t have a problem reading out of order), too.

Now there is a sequel coming to this book and while I’d like to read it, I’m afraid it will just make me feel even more like I’ve missed the first books in the series.

Gah. Jacob had been going to Mirrorworld for 12 years… why didn’t the story start there, with the first time he went in?  Grrrr.

(By the way, I really did like the book – I liked the fairy tale magic and how it was woven into the story. Nicely done.)

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Reckless Read More »

Dreams of Joy

2011, Books in Bed, Fiction, Women /

I was looking forward to Dreams of Joy, the sequel to Shanghai Girls, because the ending of Shanghai Girls really left us hanging.

Unfortunately, it was a little to slow for me. And I just wanted to shake JOY every step of the way. Well maybe not there at the end but for the first 150 pages or so, at least.

I still liked Pearl. I even liked what little bit of May we got to see. And, I did like Z.G.. And Daun. And Cook.

It was Joy. Joy. Joy. Joy.

I understand that she was upset and confused and had a bit of brainwashing going on about China. But to have rushed into that – and to have been that blind to what was really happening… she was too smart for that. Or I thought she was. Apparently not?

If there had been a way to get Pearl to China, that didn’t involve Joy being an idiot – then I’d have liked this book a lot more, I think.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Dreams of Joy Read More »

The Wager

2011, Books in Bed, Cybil Challenge, Fiction, Young Adult /

I like fairy tales. This means that I was pretty sure I would enjoy The Wager. And I did – after I got about halfway through the book. Before that – not so much. I could not seem to get attached to Don Giovanni. I didn’t really care whether he won – or the devil won. (Though I was pretty sure the devil wasn’t going to win…)  If it hadn’t been a Cybils book, I’d have probably put it down before Don Giovanni met Cani.

Now that I’ve finished it, I can say that I’m glad I stuck with it. I do wish it hadn’t been quite so slow in the beginning, though.

(Two more cybils left! I’m going to do it!!!!)

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

The Wager Read More »

Ship Breaker

2011, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

People who write in library books should be shot. DEAD. Seriously.

Some idiot wrote in the copy of Ship Breaker I picked up from the library. They didn’t just make a couple of notes or underline a few passages – they marked up the entire book. Going so far as to write down the name of the character speaking in the margins. Who does that? Who even NEEDS to do that? The writing made it incredibly difficult to focus on the story – my eye kept getting drawn to the recap written in the margin. Or the extra stupid rephrased question. Or the name of the character.

Anyway, enough of that.

Ship Breaker was… not bad, all things considered (see above).

I feel like I’ve read a similar story – or met similar characters but I can’t quite put my finger on the story or the characters I’m thinking of. It will come to me – probably in a dream (or the next time I come across a marked up library book.)  

I found myself more interested in the supporting characters than I was in Nailer. Or even Nita.  For instance, I’m fascinated by Tool and would love to see his story in another book.  I want to know more about Pima and her mother. Even Lucky Strike. And Robertson? Reynolds? (What is her name?) The woman on the Dauntless, the one who was the patron of Knot – what’s HER story?

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Ship Breaker Read More »

Three Cybils Non-Fiction

2011, Books in Bed, Cybil Challenge, Favorites, Non-Fiction, Young Adult /

Goodness these three non-fiction books were long! At one point I told TW I would come watch a movie once I finished this book. She said “that’s another baby book, why haven’t you already finished it?”  I showed her why… there were a ton of words in that thing and all three of them were like that. A little surprising since the non-fiction genre can sometimes be light on words – particularly when they’re heavy on photos, as these three books were.

First, my favorite of the three – and maybe my favorite from this year’s non-fiction lists, Kakapo Rescue. You’re shocked, aren’t you? I am not a bird person and spend a considerable portion of my life cursing RJ’s cockatiel and counting down the days until it moves out of my house. I hate that bird. Kakapo’s, however, COOL and totally should be rescued. How fascinating. I want to rescue Kakapos!

Next, Hive Detectives – this is the story about the honeybee problem. Unfortunately, no real solutions – just a solid reporting of what happened and what scientists (and bee keepers) are doing to figure out what happened (and prevent it from continuing). We need bees so I hope they figure it out soon.

Last but not least, Unspeakable Crime. This is the story of Leo Frank and Mary Phagan. What happened? What didn’t happen? Interesting read.  I’m glad I didn’t live in Atlanta in 1913. Or anywhere in 1913, really.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Three Cybils Non-Fiction Read More »

Ivy & Intrigue

1 Comment / 2011, Books in Bed, Chick Lit, Favorites, Fiction, Women /

Three things about Ivy & Intrigue:

–          I’m glad I didn’t read it when it first came out. Reading it close to Christmas and close to the next book made me happy.

–          Lauren Willig should have written one holiday novella every year, in between books. That would have been awesome.

–          I cannot wait for the next book (even if it is titled badly – a garden is not a flower!)

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Ivy & Intrigue Read More »

Pod

2011, Books in Bed, Cybil Challenge, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

Pod was… depressing.  Obviously. A story about aliens who take over the world has got to be depressing.

On the other hand, it was pretty fascinating. Not so much the would you eat your father part (or your dog) – that’s something that would obviously have to come up. More the what were those aliens doing? Seems to me they were cleaning the earth of contaminants.  Reducing the population without completely eradicating the population. Leaving the bikes but taking the pollution-creating vehicles.

Fascinating. Really.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Pod Read More »

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick

1 Comment / 2011, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Young Adult /

I almost did not reserve Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick.  I’ve got more than enough to read and more, more, more than enough YA to read and I just didn’t believe it was going to be THAT good. But after reading other people’s posts about it, I figured what the hell and reserved it.

It was that good.

The college essay questions at the beginning of each chapter were a nice touch. A very nice touch. In fact, perfect.

There must be a sequel and Sassymonkey said something about a movie. It will be an awesome action movie (no vampires!)

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick Read More »

Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze

2011, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Favorites, Fiction /

Sad, sad, sad. Also, did I mention Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze is sad? I think it’s miss-titled, too. Otherwise – good book. I liked the drawings a lot.  I’m not sure whether middle graders will really love this book – sad, sad, sad – but I definitely did enjoy it. Except where it made me almost cry.

It was the blanket that did me in.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze Read More »