Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf

I have a recommendation: "Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff" by Jennifer L. Holm. This is the most unique and creative book I have ever read. The story is not told the conventional way. It is literally told through stuff like the title says. Each page tells the story through various things like Ginni's (the main character) to-do-lists, shopping lists, school class schedules, report cards, English essays, notes from her mom, etc. It was such a fun way to get to know Ginni and her 7th grade year of middle school. I think all of us can sympathize in some ways with Ginni. Shannon Hale recommended the book on her website, and it got rave reviews on Amazon.com, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm glad I did. It was a very fun read. With no interruptions, you could probably read it in an hour or so. I had a hard time putting it down because I was so drawn into the story and how it is told. It is a very clever book and very well done too. If you're interested in something light, fun, and interesting you should give this book a try.

Book discussion on Austenland

I'm glad to hear you all pretty much enjoyed this book. I think all of has a little bit of romance in ourselves and sometimes our books are an escape into that romance world. I, myself have fallen into all of the remakes and similar stories of Pride and Prejudice.
Just a couple of questions for you to answer or just think about.
Who did you think she would end up with, Martin or Mr. Nobley?
Did you have a hard time figuring out what was their play acting world and what was reality (especially in regards to their feelings)?
Please feel free to leave additional comments or ask any questions!

Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking

by Malcolm Gladwell

"I believe . . . that the task of making sense of ourselves and our behavior requires that we acknowledge there can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis."

Are you interested in how the mind works? Do you ever wonder why people do what they do? Do you like reading short case studies of interesting historical events? Do you have to make quick decisions under pressure? Are you interested in music, art, politics, or psychology? If your answer is yes to any of the above, this book is for you!

This book was recommended to me by one of my professors in my MSW program. I have been wanting to read it since then and just barely picked it up from the library. Because I had high expectations, I was worried that I would be let down. I am happy to report that I was not!

This book is well organized as the author takes you through various case studies and research experiments. The logic was easy of me to follow and his style of writing kept me entertained. More than once I stopped in the middle of a chapter to write down a term, person, or website to look up online. This is a book I could enjoy reading over and over again. Indeed, for me to fully grasp the concepts, I plan to re-read it when I have more time to ponder the ideas and someone to discuss it with. This would make an excellent choice for a book club.

Another Great Fantasy Series

This fantasy series by Maria V. Snyder is fabulous; I finished the last book of three this weekend. The second book is called Magic Study and the third book is called Fire Study. For all those romantics out there, you will appreciate the romance. For all those adventure folks out there, you will appreciate the constant conflict and action. I liked Poison Study by far the best out of the three books and since I loved it so much I was compelled to quickly read the other two. The final book, Fire Study, was a little complicated and left a few questions...but maybe that means there will be a companion series in the future. I certainly hope so.

I tried to upload the other two books but it was taking too long. You can search for them on the web, however.

Book for May: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

I have chosen The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls as the book for May. It is a memoir about growing up with eccentric parents which causes the family to be poverty stricken and homeless, at times. You will be surprised about how non-depressing her tale is. Enjoy!

Wicked Lovely

Wicked Lovely is a young adult fantasy written by Melissa Marr. It is about a human girl who can see the faires (faeries) who live in our world. I think Amazon recommended it to me because I bought the Twilight series. Anyway, this book was so fun to read! The end was a little predictable but with some unexpected twists. At first it was hard to get into because nothing is explained as unfamiliar terms are used. However, that seemed to keep me reading just because I wanted to figure it out. I found myself thinking about this book as I was ironing, doing dishes, and even falling asleep. I also found it amusing that the author was voted by her highschool classmates as the most likely to end up in jail.

March's Book Discussion

I hope you all had a good March and had a chance to read The Street Lawyer. I sure enjoy reading any of John Grisham's book. I like his, what I call, Lawyer's books the best since he used to be one. Of course the novels are fiction but he pretty much knows what he's talking about. Anyhow, here are some questions to think about.

What did you like about the story? Or if you liked the story?

Did you like the ending? How would you end the book?

Did any part of the book inspire you? Even a little bit?

Did the book change your opinion about lawyers? Would you ever be one?

Or just share your thoughts and feelings about the book or the author...

Good book to read

I just finished such a good book. It's called In search of Eden by Linda Nichols. It's about a girl who was forced to give her newborn up for adoption when she was 15. It tells the story of her searching for this baby and in turn learns something about herself. I was crying, laughing, and enjoying the whole way through. It is told by a very devout Christian (not LDS). So there is alot of prayers, scripture references, and overal amens but they definitely add to the story line. Enjoy.

Book for April

Alright you closet Jane Austen fans, this is the book for you (and also the book I've chosen for April). It is called Austenland by Shannon Hall. A fun book that reflects a little bit of each of us. It's short and not too deep so it will allow you time to read other books of your choosing as well. Happy reading and we'll talk in April.

A Tribute to Frank McCourt

Browsing through the books on CD at the library one day a long time ago I came across a familiar title, Angela's Ashes. I hadn't seen the movie but figured since it was made into a movie it must be pretty good. As I began listening during my daily commute I realized this book isn't just 'pretty good' it is the best book I have ever read (or listened to). Angela's Ashes is Frank McCourt's recount of his life growing up in Ireland--"A miserable childhood" which he points out in his opening statement.

Frank McCourt's Pulitzer Prize winning story is read in his own voice, which makes listening to it a beautiful cultural experience. He even sings! If you decide to read this book based on this blog entry, please listen to it instead. Again, the story is so much better when hearing his voice and inflection.

Frank McCourt has written two additional memoirs: 'Tis and Teacher Man. Both are wonderful. There is a part in 'Tis where I laughed so hard tears came. If anyone has ever tried teaching teenagers they will be able to relate wholeheartedly to Teacher Man--I read it when I was attempting to teach life skills to criminal teens at an alternative high school. He has also written a children's book, about Christmas, Angela and The Baby Jesus.

Frank McCourt's reflection of his life has made such a difference in my life. Though I cannot relate to the degree of suffering he has experienced, I can very much relate to his emotional experience and reaction to the irony, humor, and humanity of of the world. I am so grateful I picked up his book that day...

You can learn more about Frank McCourt a this website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_McCourt