Thirteen Reasons Why, Jay Asher

This is a book about suicide.  The main character, if you can call her that, leaves behind cassette tapes explaining why she committed suicide, so as the reader, you go through the experience of one of her listeners, hearing her whole story. 

I had mixed feelings about the book.  It did make me think about how important it is to be kind and to be aware of what others around you might be going through. At the same time, the burden of guilt was placed on kids who were mean to her or adults who didn't "do enough" to help her, even though they didn't know what was going on.  The consequences, especially for her family, weren't really dealt with either.  I'm not a huge fan.

Hunger Games

This was so sad! But I have to say that I really enjoyed reading it. There was this political intrigue that was believable. It was well written and had a very Shakespearian feel for me, it reminded me of the end of Hamlet where everyone dies. Brace yourself if you're going to read it though, just know ahead of time it is tragic. I don't think I'll be ready to handle the sequel for a while.

Dark Life

This is by Kat Falls and it is awesome! I just finished and I want to read it again. It is set in the future when global warming has diminished land significantly. It is sort of a mystery about a boy living in a community that is located at the bottom of the ocean and a "topside" girl who is looking for her brother.

Princess Stories

I know, it's been forever. Does anyone check this anymore?? :) But I recently read two books that I enjoyed, both fairy tale retellings by Jessica Day George (how did I not know she existed until now?).

Princess of the Midnight Ball -- This is a retelling of the 12 dancing princesses story. I liked the setting a lot, and the main character is really the boy in this one. He was great. And he knits. How about that?

Princess of Glass -- This is a companion book, written about one of the younger sisters from the first princess story. I won't tell you which tale she's rewriting; see if you can guess! I think I liked this one even better than the first.

They're pretty easy reads with well-developed characters and they're both fun worlds to fall into for a while.

Still Alice

I know I just published like two minutes ago but I forgot a book.

For book club we read this one, Still Alice by Lisa Genova.
This one was interesting, that is to say, not on my typical reads list.  This one is about a professore at Harvard, very smart, very accomplished and in her hey day when she is suddenly diagnosed with early onset Alzhiemer's disease.  Throughout the book Alice is faced with challenges that to use are as simple as using the restroom but because of her illness are a major difficulty.  The tragedy is that fifty year old Alice loses her memory, her brilliant intelect, and her ability to understand language in it's more complex forms.  However she gains a much stronger relationship with her children and finds new ways to show love and comprehension for every day events.
It's like she goes from the mind of an intelligent fifty year old to an infant with a mental dissability and has to re-learn how to communicate and understand.
This a great cry book.
anna-banana

Romeo's ex

Out of my latest book wave my favorite was Romeo's ex by Lisa Fielder.
For all those Shakespear lovers like myself, this tells the story of Rosaline, the girl Romeo is in love with at the beginning of the play.  Even if that isn't familiar, if you have seen the movie(s) or read the play you'll figure it out.  The book is funny and uses rennaisance language very creativley mostly they just add "eth" or "st" to contemporary phrases that we use today. 
anna-banana

The Boxcar Children The Guide Dog Mystery #53

Author: Gertrude Chandler Warner

Benny, Violet, Jessie, and Henry used to live in a boxcar. Now they live with their Grandfather.

The book is about Benny, Violet, Jessie, and Henry going to a guide dog school. Someone breaks

into a kennel and also steals a guide dog. The kids try to figure out who did it and where the dog is.

My favorite part is when Benny sees mysterious lights in a dormitory room. I like this part because it's mysterious and you never know what will happen next.

Ian