Posts Tagged ‘books read’
It’s Monday! What are you reading? Is a meme sponsored by Sheila at Book Journey. Kellee at Unleashing Readers and Jen at Teach Menor Texts gave the meme a kidlit twist. It’s a great way to reflect on what you’ve read and reviewed the last week and plan what you want to read next. Join up with us and discover what good books other people are reading.
My reading week took a surprising turn–not at all what I expected to read. We also had a weekend filled with soccer, and I chaperoned the girls’ soccer team on their overnight tournament. I’m glad to be home and hopefully get back to a more expected reading and writing week.
I finished…
The Federal Election Commission Campaign Guide – A friend asked me to serve as treasurer on her campaign committee for Congress. Before I accepted, I wanted to know what I was getting into. Let me just say that reading through all the rules, laws and guidelines for federal campaigns was eye-opening. I value even more Susan’s campaign that does not rely on extensive fundraising, but on talking with people directly.
I’m currently reading…
Les Miserables by VIctor Hugo – I didn’t get too far this week. I only made it to 73%. The story got bogged down with political theory about the differences between revolution and insurrection. We did see the funeral of the beloved general that incited riots and Gavroche is a part of it all. I like that kid.
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Publishing Children’s Books by Harold D. Underdown – I’m taking my time with this one to absorb the information. One of the most valuable parts of this book is the resources included. By the time I’m done, I’ll have sticky notes sticking out all over.
Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson – I’m not sure what I think of this one. I’m intrigued enough to want to finish to find out who murdered the parents, but the narrator is a bit much. She addresses the listener/reader frequently, and it seems almost overdone, especially when she’s dropping what seem to be obvious hints and claiming that “this is a story for another time.”
Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde – I’ve been waiting for this one since just after Christmas. I received a paperback of the first book, The Last Dragonslayer, for Christmas. Since I started the series in paperback, I preordered the paperback for this second book in the series, and it just came out in the US. I love Fforde’s wordplay and humor, and so far I’m loving Jennifer Strange’s second adventure. Magic is indeed on the rise again, but that doesn’t mean the Kazam’s problems are decreasing. If anything, they face even more trouble.
Coming up…
I definitely will be finishing up the books I’m in the middle of here. My goal is to catch up on some blog posts as well. I have several good books I’ve been reading that I want to share.
What are you reading this week?
101) Writer’s Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing edited by Michelle Ruberg – My crash course in freelance writing is starting to pay off. This presents much information on getting ideas, querying magazines, conducting interviews & research, writing the article, and considering the business side of writing.
102) The Cup of Our Life by Joyce Rupp – I enjoyed going through this six week Bible study again.
103) Staff of Serapis by Rick Riordan – Annabeth Chase and Sadie Kane make an amazing partnership. I’d love to read more combining the two series with Greek demigods and Egyptian magicians.
104) Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein – The audio version is powerful, but I am glad I read it first. I’m not sure I could have followed it otherwise.
105) 2014 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market edited by Chuck Sambuchino – I learned much from the articles and interviews. The listings of publishers, agents, and magazines are a valuable resource.
106) Bugged! How Insects Changed History by Sarah Albee – Why can’t all history be this much fun?
107) Praying in Color by Sybil MacBeth – I love the exploration of prayer through color and drawing.
108) Anne of Green Gables – Anne kept me in good company as I listened to an old favorite.
109) Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent – another reread that I enjoyed
110) And the Mountains Echoed by Kahled Hosseini – Breathtaking and beautiful
111) Save Me by Lisa Scottoline – exciting storyline that raises thought-provoking questions
112) Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie – I love Miss Marple in her first adventure!
It’s Monday! What are you reading? Is a meme sponsored by Sheila at Book Journey. Kellee at Unleashing Readers and Jen at Teach Menor Texts gave the meme a kidlit twist. It’s a great way to reflect on what you’ve read and reviewed the last week and plan what you want to read next. Join up with us and discover what good books other people are reading.
I finished:
Murder at the Vicarage by Agathy Christie – Doing lots of mowing this week gave me lots of time to listen to this audio from SYNC YA. It was a delight to listen to. I love Miss Marple and her keen observations–though if I lived in her village, I’d probably think she was a busybody when she turned her skills on my life!
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini – This is my favorite of the three Hosseini books I’ve read. The end was bittersweet, and I definitely wanted to read more about some of the characters.
Save Me by Lisa Scottoline – Everything that could go wrong when Rose volunteers at her daughters school does go wrong–bullying girls, an explosion, a missing/injured child, lawsuits and possible criminal charges. Then Rose turns into an amateur detective and brings the true bad guys to justice. I liked it.
I’m currently reading…
Les Miserables by VIctor Hugo – I’m up to 72%, but the story is bogging down with more political theory and lots of mooning over each other by Marius and Cosette. In this section, I’m most impressed with Eponine’s bravery. She protects Marius and Cosette from a gang of six robbers (including her father) who have just escaped from prison.
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Publishing Children’s Books by Harold D. Underdown – I’ve just started another text in my crash course on freelance writing. Now to start getting all these ideas that are swirling around my head down on paper and out into the world.
Coming up…
Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson – I just transferred this one to my iPod to listen to while I run and do other mindless tasks. The heat and humidity kept me from running this morning, but I have something to listen to when I do get on the road!
I’ll continue reading the books I’m in the middle of. I also have another book by Lisa Scottoline that I will start.
It’s Monday! What are you reading? Is a meme sponsored by Sheila at Book Journey. Kellee at Unleashing Readers and Jen at Teach Menor Texts gave the meme a kidlit twist. It’s a great way to reflect on what you’ve read and reviewed the last week and plan what you want to read next. Join up with us and discover what good books other people are reading.
It may have been because I was procrastinating other things, but this was a good reading week for me. I finished up several books that I had been reading for quite a while and started several others. Now if I can just crank up the writing to match for this coming week!
I finished…
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein – I finished this last Monday morning. The audio was excellent, but I am glad I had read the text first. Hearing the words after reading them highlighted details that I missed or sped through when I first read it. I defnintely want to read Rose Under Fire.
2014 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market edited by Chuck Sambuchino – Okay, confession time. I didn’t read every description of every publisher, agent, and magazine, but I did glance through them and looked up a few using the subject and age level indexes. Once I get my writing going, I will want to invest in a yearly subscription to refer to. I learned much from the articles and interviews in the first half of the book.
Bugged! How Insects Changed History by Sarah Albee – My view of history will never be the same. It’s too bad that history textbooks can’t have this much fun with history.
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery – Anne Shirley kept me good company this week as I ran, mowed, cleaned, and canned salsa. This story has long been one of my favorites that I revisit again and again. I enjoyed listening to Anne’s scrapes and kindred spirits and imaginative stories just as much as reading them. Of course, now I want to go back and read the rest of the series.
Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent – I didn’t intend to reread this book this week, but it was lying around and I found myself picking it up. (My husband’s Sunday School class is getting ready to start it.) Once again I found myself captivated and wondering at the experiences of this little boy.
I’m currently reading…
Les Miserables by VIctor Hugo – I’m up to 70% of the way through despite getting bogged down in another detour, this one about slang and a history of language and politics. I would have found the sland discussion interesting, but my French is not good enough to get the points he was making. I don’t think the English translation caught the whole of it.
Murder at the Vicarage by Agathy Christie – I also downloaded this title from Sync YA over the summer. I love Agatha Christie mysteries. Even though I very likely read it long ago, I don’t remember the end, so I get to enjoy it all over again–and it is a Miss Marple mystery. She’s my favorite.
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini – This is breathtaking so far. I love how Hosseini’s writing sweeps me out of my world and into one that is so very different. After reading his books, I would love to see the country and people of Afghanistan. I’m not sure I’m brave enough to visit in real life right now, but I am grateful that he shares his vision of it through his stories.
Coming up…
I will finish the books I’m in the middle of. I also want to catch up with my blogging and writing in general. I have a couple of books that a friend lent me that I’d like to pick up next. I am hoping for a productive week for both reading and writing!
What good books are you reading this week?
It’s Monday! What are you reading? Is a meme sponsored by Sheila at Book Journey. Kellee at Unleashing Readers and Jen at Teach Menor Texts gave the meme a kidlit twist. It’s a great way to reflect on what you’ve read and reviewed the last week and plan what you want to read next. Join up with us and discover what good books other people are reading.
I got some writing done, I canned more tomatoes and pasta sauce. I battled yellow jackets and baby snakes. I even read some. Here are the books that joined me through this week.
I finished…
The Cup of Our Life by Joyce Rupp – I’ve been using this book for my morning devotions the past six weeks. I’ve used it before, but since I’m at a different place in my life, the reflections are still fresh and relevant. Once again, I am moved by the symbolism of a cup for many things in my life.
Staff of Serapis by Rick Riordan – I found this one while poking around on Amazon looking for something else. I still have to wait until October for The Blood of Olympus, but this long short story–or is it a short novella–might hold me over until then. This time Annabeth Chase and Sadie Kane come together to defeat a monster that combines Greek and Egyptian elements. The question remains, is Riordan just teasing us with these shorts, or is he planning another series joining the Greek demigods and the Egyptian magicians?
I’m currently reading…
Les Miserables by VIctor Hugo – I know this is one reason my reading (in terms of number of books) has slowed down. I have spent quite a bit of time this week with Gavroche (a Paris street urchin) as he rescued his unknown younger brothers and escaping from prison with Thenadier. He may be a rascal and the “master of the house,” but he does have street smarts. I am now 67% of the way through. I’m still working to finish it by the end of the year.
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein – I am almost done–just 25 minutes or so left. I loved Morven Christie’s narration of Queenie/Julie. She wrung every drop of emotion out of the character without being overwrought. Then when Lucy Gaskell started narrating Maddy’s/Kitty Hawk’s part, I was blown away. Her voice brought Maddy to life in my mind. I will be sad to finish with this story again.
2014 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market edited by Chuck Sambuchino – I have learned so much from reading the articles and interviews–making the most of conferences, creating compelling characters, taking the plunge into self-publishing, and more. I am almost through the informational part for writing craft and business and to the list of publishers, agents, editors, magazines.
Bugged! How Insects Changed History by Sarah Albee – I am having too much fun reading this one. I have to bite my tongue to keep from sharing gross facts about bugs and the diseases they spread at inopportune times. Even though much of the information is groww, I find myself laughing, too.
Postponed…
How to Write Successful Fundraising Appeals by Mal Warwick – This one is due back at the library today, and I think I’m going to hand it back in unread. My heart is with writing stories–both fiction and nonfiction–not in copywriting. If that opportunity presents itself, I know where I can get the book if I want to learn it later.
Coming up…
I am nearly finished with several books. I’m not sure what I what I will grab off the shelf next. I will choose another audio book from the ones I downloaded from Sync YA earlier this summer. I’m looking for something lighter after the intensity of Code Name Verity. I’ve also been picking up Khaled Hosseini’s And the Mountains Echoed, so it may be next up, too.
It’s Monday! What are you reading? Is a meme sponsored by Sheila at Book Journey. Kellee at Unleashing Readers and Jen at Teach Menor Texts gave the meme a kidlit twist. It’s a great way to reflect on what you’ve read and reviewed the last week and plan what you want to read next. Join up with us and discover what good books other people are reading.
Now that school is back in for my daughter, I’m back to trying to balance my reading and my writing…and gardening. The tomato plants have exploded with ripe, juicy Roma tomatoes that we transform into salsa and pizza sauce and pasta sauce. Let’s not even talk about the fresh corn, cantaloupe, bell peppers, zucchini, and cucumbers. We even still have broccoli! Even so, I managed to finish two books last week and make progress with more.
I finished …
Writer’s Digest of Magazine Article Writing edited by Michelle Ruberg – Some of the information in this guide repeated what I had read in my previous books in my freelance writing crash course. Not surprising since the people who wrote the books I read earlier contributed to this book as well. I appreciated hearing it again (It’s starting to sink in.), and there was enough new information to make it worth while to read. Following the advice I’ve been reading, I received my first assignment from an editor last week!
Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God by Sybil MacBeth – Not only did I finish reading this book, I’ve been exploring praying in color myself. It is a very different way for me to pray since I have always been more comfortable with writing than drawing, but I am eager to explore more. I plan to write a more thorough reflection on the book and my explorations later this week. Meanwhile, I’ve sharpened the colored pencils!
I’m currently reading ….
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo – The story is picking up again and so is my reading. My favorite part from this week’s reading was when Jean Valjean stopped a pickpocket in his tracks and then gave the thief the purse he was trying to steal. Then the thief lost the wallet to a young pickpocket, who gave the purse to an old man who had nothing. My goal is to finish this by the end of the year. I will need to spend more time with it than I have been.
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein – The audio is excellent and gets better by the minute. I’m nearing the end of Queenie’s story, and the narration is heart-wrenching to listen to. I can’t wait to hear how Maddie’s story is narrated.
2014 Children’s Writer’s & illustrator’s Market edited by Chuck Sambuchino – I knew this was a comprehensive list of publishers, agents, and magazines for the children’s market, but I did not realize how much practical advice and tips it contained as well. I’m learning so much!
Bugged: How Insects Changed History by Sarah Albee – i don’t know how it happened, but nonfiction today is much better than back in the day when the children’s librarian at my public library had to beg me to read nonfiction. (I reluctantly tried mythology and biographies, but not much else.) I always thought I would want to write fiction (and I do), but I would also love to write nonfiction like this. It’s not only “swarming with facts” (as the cover proclaims), but it’s funny.
Coming up …
How to Write Successful Fundraising Appeals by Mal Warwick – It’s another book in my crash course (almost all of them from my local library). The copywriting I am most interested in doing is for not-for-profits. Having worked for both secular and religious not-for-profits, I know fundraising is a fact of life for them. I like the idea of using my writing to help causes I support, too. Since I keep putting off opening this one, I know where I want to spend my time writing.
What are you reading this week?
It’s Monday! What are you reading? Is a meme sponsored by Sheila at Book Journey. Kellee at Unleashing Readers and Jen at Teach Menor Texts gave the meme a kidlit twist. It’s a great way to reflect on what you’ve read and reviewed the last week and plan what you want to read next. Join up with us and discover what good books other people are reading.
I’ve missed a few weeks due to a fabulous vacation in Charleston, SC. The books I have read this summer reflect the changes I am making in my life this year. For the first time in fifteen years I will not be going back to school. I resigned my teaching position over the summer to pursue freelance writing. I am excited to see where this new path will take me. Even though I am not teaching, I will continue to share my passion for reading and literature with my blog. Here are my books from the past several weeks.
I finished…
I’d Tell You I’d Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter – I absolutely loved listening to the audio from SYNC YA. I know I ran more during the month of July just so I could listen to it. In addition to taking place at a super cool spy school, I loved how Cammie and her friends put their spy skills to use cracking the biggest mystery of them all–boys. Yes, Cammie uses all she has learned about sneaking in and out of schoo and creating a cover to go out with one of the boys in the local town. My daughter tells me that the series gets progressively darker and more dangerous as it goes on, but this first one was just plain fun!
Getting Started As a Freelance Writer by Robert Bly – Not only does Bly cover the writing basics, but he includes a wealth of information and tips for handling the business side of writing. This was a good beginning in my crash course on starting a freelance writing business. He focuses much more on copywriting for businesses. I’m not sure if this is the direction I want to pursue with my writing, but copywriting is something to consider.
The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success by Linda Formicelli and Diana Burrell – These two writers write primarily for magazines, and this is the direction I want to go. They generously share from their experiences writing for a variety of magazines.
Missing Microbes by Martin J. Blaser – I pointed this book out to my daughter (who is interested in all things science and chemistry) while we were waiting in line to check out books. I ended up reading it instead of her. Can I just say that I never knew microbes could be so fascinating?
Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue by Tom Angleberger – Angleberger strikes again with spot on middle school humor. This time the Force needs help to finally stop the evils of Fun Time. The help they need comes from quite an unexpected source. This conclusion to the Origami Yoda series is packed with middle school drama, humor, and doodlings. As a middle school teacher, I saw first hand the damage that a focus on standardized test scores can inflict on students, teachers, and administrators. Thank you, Tom Angleberger, for getting the word out. Now how can we make sure that every legislator and school reformer gets a copy?
Fidelity: Five Stories by Wendell Berry – I fell in love with the places and people of Port William, KY, that Berry created in these stories. Reading each story was like taking a leisurely walk through the woods and fields.
I’m currently reading….
Les Mis by Victor Hugo – I keep reading a little bit at a time. I love having the Kindle app on my phone to pull it out whenver I have a few minutes waiting. I’m now over 60% of the way through, and Marius is on the verge of reuniting with the girl of his dreams. Meanwhile, Cosette’s “father,” Jean Valjean, has no idea how to handle “his” little girl growing up and falling in love.
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein – I read this book earlier, but when I saw that this title was included in SYNC YA’s download schedule this summer, I couldn’t wait to listen to it. I have heard such good things about the audio. It is not disappointing. I love listening to a book I’ve already read. I find that it is such a different experience and I come away with so much more from the book.
Handbook of Magazine Article Writing edited by Michelle Ruberg – This is another book in my crash course on freelance writing. So far I’m findling lots of practical advice.
The Step by Step Guide to Freelance Writing Success by Carol Tice and Laura Spencer – This is exactly what the title says–steps to take to get started. I’m off and running with a few action steps each day.
Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God by Sybil MacBeth – My college roommate gave this book to my daughter for Christmas, and I snagged it from her room (with her permission!). I am enjoying learning about this creative way to pray.
Coming up…
How to Write Successful Fundraising Appeals by Mal Warwick – It’s another book in my crash course (almost all of them from my local library). The copywriting I am most interested in doing is for not-for-profits. Having worked for both secular and religious not-for-profits, I know fundraising is a fact of life for them. I like the idea of using my writing to help causes I support, too.
July has been an interesting read. In addition to reading different books than my usual fare, I vacationed in Charleston, SC, with my family. It was hard not to star every title as one of my favorites this month.
93) *The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling – brilliant, funny, and heartbreaking
94) *The Summer of Letting Go by Gae Polisner – haunting and lovely
95) *Missing Microbes by Martin J. Blaser – I pointed out this book to my daughter while we were waiting in line to check out books at the library. She grabbed it to add to our stack, but I ended up reading it. Who know microbes could be so fascinating?
96) Getting Started as a Freelance Writer by Bob Bly – I learned much from this one, and am still learning thanks to the resources shared in the end. There is solid information on both the writing and business aspects of freelance writing.
97) The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success by Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell – Packed with information and humor, this guide shows wanna-be writers like me how to get started and persevere.
98) *Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue by Tom Angleberger – I loved this conclusion to the Origami Yoda series. Help for the rebels comes from an unexpected source as they fight the evils of standardized testing.
99) *I’d Tell You I’d Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter – My daughter has been begging me to read this series for years. Once Sync YA offered it as a free download earlier this summer, I put it on my iPod. I probably ran more in the month of July just so I could listen to it. I loved how Cammie and her friends put their super spy skills to use solving the biggest mystery of all time–boys. The humor was spot on.
100) Fidelity: Five Stories by Wendell Berry – I was not familiar with Berry’s fiction until my former pastor brought this by to share with me. I fell in love with the people and place of Port William. I took a long time to finish this one because I wanted to savor each story and not rush to the next one.
What were your favorite reads for July? What are you looking forward to reading in August?
My first two books for the month of June were birthday gifts. I think my family knows me well. They gave me books and chocolate–and some new patio furniture for the back porch. Let the reading continue!
68) Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Little Golden Book by Diane Muldrow – The illustrations brought back so many memories of favorite books and characters from my childhood.
69) A Love that Lasts – There is no one right way to live in a happy marriage.
70) Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema, pictures by Leo and Diane Dillon – I knew there was a reason I didn’t like those pesky mosquitoes!
71) Best Friends – story & pictures by Steven Kellogg – the highs and lows of friendship captured in a vivid imagination
72) Together – by George Ella Lyon, pictures by Vera Rosenberry – another combination of friendship and imagination
73) A Pond So Blue – by Dan Waters, pictures by Danny B. Dalby – little fish work together to overcome the big catfish
74) A Gift of a Tree by Greg Henry Quinn, pictures by Ronda Krum – I picked up this one in honor of my forester husband
75) The Tooth Tree by Nicholas Heller – What happens when you bury a tooth in the backyard instead of under a pillow?
76) Finding Nemo by Disney Pixar
77) 101 Dalmations by Disney
78) Simba and Nala at Play: A Book About Opposites
79) Curious George Snowy Day adapted by Rotem Moscovich
80) Jamaica Tag-Along by Juanita Havill, pictures by Anne Sibley O’Brien
81) A Wish-For Dinosaur by Jane Belk Moncure, pictures by Vera K. Gohman
82)Muppet Babies Count with Me by Louise Gikow, pictures by David Prebenna
83) The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult – lots of good things in this book, but a difficult read for me
84) Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully – I got this from the summer reading program at our library. Now I want to try walking on a high wire.
85) Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans – I loved reading this one to my daughter. It’s still good now that she is a teen.
86) Madeline and the Bad Hat by Ludwig Bemelmans – another adventure with Madeline
87) How Do You Hug a Porcupine? by Laurie Isop and Gwen Millward – cute rhyming story about–hugging different animals
88) 102 Wacky Monster Jokes -by Michael Pellowski – Some definitely caused groans, but certain kids will eat this one up.
89) The Butterfly Counting Book by Jerry Pallotta – Much more than I expected from a counting book–including words for butterfly in many languages
90) The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown – another mystery full of danger, intrigue, and of course, symbols
91) Where Is Home, Little Pip? by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman – cute picture book about a penguin who gets separated from his parents and can’t find his way home
92) W.A.R.P.: The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer – This new series has an evil villain, two spunky orphans, and time travel back to Victorian England.
My favorites this month were from the picture books: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears and Mirette on the High Wire. What were your favorite reads from this month?
It’s Monday! What are you reading? Is a meme sponsored by Sheila atBook Journey. Kellee at Unleashing Readers and Jen at Teach Menor Texts gave the meme a kidlit twist. It’s a great way to reflect on what you’ve read and reviewed the last week and plan what you want to read next. Join up with us and discover what good books other people are reading.
The #bookaday challenge that I usually participate in through the summer has turned into #bookaweek and then some this week. I finished just one book this week:
Where Is Home, Little Pip? by Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman – The Little Free Library organization sent me this picture book in my Steward’s Packet. It’s a cute story about a penguin who gets separated from his parents and can’t find his way home. I can’t wait to add it to the library outside. This edition has both English and Spanish text. Unfortunately, I can read only the English.
In related library news, I wrote a press release about our new little library and sent it to the regional paper in the next county. The Columbus, IN, Republic published to story in Sunday’s paper. That was exciting!
I’m currently reading:
W.A.R.P. The Reluctant Assassin b Eoin Colfer – One more run should put me through the end of this one. It’s definitely exciting, and I can’t wait to see how–and if–Chevron and Riley defeat Garrick. I will be looking for the next one in the series soon. I am glad I don’t live in Victorian England. I’ll stick with modern sanitation.
The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling – Wow! I’m just past the halfway mark in this one, and I like it. At first I had trouble keeping the large cast of characters straight in my head, but now that I’m seeing the connections between them (that sometimes the characters don’t realize), I am enjoying the wicked humor.
What’s coming up:
In addition to finishing the books above, I’d like to read more in Les Miserables this week. Will Marius ever find the girl of his dreams again?
I’d also like to continue reading another short story or two in Fidelity by Wendell Berry.
Les Miserables by VIctor Hugo – I didn’t get too far this week. I only made it to 73%. The story got bogged down with political theory about the differences between revolution and insurrection. We did see the funeral of the beloved general that incited riots and Gavroche is a part of it all. I like that kid.
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Publishing Children’s Books by Harold D. Underdown – I’m taking my time with this one to absorb the information. One of the most valuable parts of this book is the resources included. By the time I’m done, I’ll have sticky notes sticking out all over.
Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson – I’m not sure what I think of this one. I’m intrigued enough to want to finish to find out who murdered the parents, but the narrator is a bit much. She addresses the listener/reader frequently, and it seems almost overdone, especially when she’s dropping what seem to be obvious hints and claiming that “this is a story for another time.”
Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde – I’ve been waiting for this one since just after Christmas. I received a paperback of the first book, The Last Dragonslayer, for Christmas. Since I started the series in paperback, I preordered the paperback for this second book in the series, and it just came out in the US. I love Fforde’s wordplay and humor, and so far I’m loving Jennifer Strange’s second adventure. Magic is indeed on the rise again, but that doesn’t mean the Kazam’s problems are decreasing. If anything, they face even more trouble.
