2012 Reading Challenge

This year's Challenge is kind of different- instead of choosing a number you can make your challenge whatever you want it to be. Some people are trying to read more books by male authors, or books in different genres, or a number plus a category (maybe they want to read 15 history books this year). For me I'm sticking with what works- a number. In 2011 I barely missed my goal of 121, in fact if some of the books hadn't been duplicates I would have sailed on past that goal. So this year I'm holding steady at 121. I probably won't make it, but I'm going to give it my all. Even if it means I don't get work done, and the dishes don't get cleaned and we have to eat fast food because I can't bothered to cook. The things we sacrifice for good books :) 

Happy reading everyone!

Tweet

2011 Top Ten!

Note: I started typing this post almost a month ago, I had such high hopes of getting it posted during the Christmas break, but life got busy (shocking, I know) and now here we are, 8 days into the new year and I'm finally getting it posted!

I do have to note that not all of these books were released in 2011. Some are older, some were ARCS, but I read them all for the first time in 2011 so that's why they are on the list. They are also not in any particular order, since it's hard to rank books that are so different. So here we go, my top ten books of 2011!

1. The Tender Mercy of Roses by Anna Michaels (review)- this is a great book about love and loss, magic and tragedy... and rodeo.

2. Delirium and Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (review / review) - I love Lauren Oliver. She can basically do no wrong when it comes to her books. Delirium was like a whole new world and Pandemonium let us revisit with friends, feel their pain as they tried to find their way, and go along for the ride as their worlds spun out of control. (and yes I know this is two books, I cheated)

3. Trapped by Michael Northrop (review)- I come from the land of the golden snowball awards and record snowfall, so a story abut a giant snowstorm appealed to me. I wasn't ready for all the twists and turns this story took, but the authors willingness to stay true to the story, regardless of the pain that meant, made this book memorable.

4. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare (review)- I love these books, reading them is always fun b/c Clare has the ability to take these crazy story lines and make you believe. Plus I enjoyed seeing Simon take center stage!

5. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (review)- ditto everything I just said above except replace Simon with Jem.

6. Game of Thrones by George RR Martin (review)- yes I know I am totally late to the game on this one. I'm sure that my geek card was on the verge of being revoked do to the lack of Westeros in my diet. Thank goodness I remedied that in 2011. These books are hefty and you have to be in the right mood to get through it, but it's totally worth it and reading the books makes the HBO show so much better!

7. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand (review)- this book is set in one of my favorite places, Jackson Hole. The author got the setting so right that I'm pretty sure I'm going to be looking up for angels this summer when I'm there.

8. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (review)- this is by far my favorite book by Maggie, which is saying something b/c her books are pretty damn awesome. I fell in love with the characters, the island they live in and of course the horses.

9. Wolves, Boys and Other Things that Might Kill Me by Kristen Chandler (review)- this one is also set in the Yellowstone area, so of course I loved it immediately. Add in a mysterious black wolf out near Slough Creek and I was done for!

10. Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg (review)- technically this is a 2012 book, but I grabbed it up at NCTE and read it right away. I love Eulberg's books and as a ex-theater brat this one struck especially close to home.

Tweet

My Ramblings on The Fourth Stall Part II by Chris Rylander

The Fourth Stall, Part II
By: Chris Rylander
Release Date: February 7, 2012
Author Website

Summary:

The tween-noir saga continues. The life of crime is good. Mac has taken down legendary high school crime boss Staples, business has been booming and Mac and Vince are getting ready for middle school baseball tryouts. But this can't last. Mac has always tried to keep his friends close and his enemies closer. But what happens when you can't tell the difference?

A dilemma walks into the fourth stall in the form of Trixie Von Parkway - an eighth grader with a mean look and an even meaner predicament. Seems that the new science teacher is terrorizing her, and she needs Mac to get him off her back. Sounds simple enough, but as Mac starts to dig deeper, he finds even more trouble brewing at his school, including a new administrator bent on destroying his business and indicating that Trixie isn't who she claims to be. The worst that could have happened to Mac before was that he might lose a little money, maybe catch a beating. In THE FOURTH STALL PART II, though, the stakes are even higher than that (from Goodreads)

My Ramblings:

So first I have to say that this book, and the first book in the series, are two of the funniest books I've ever read. I found myself laughing out loud several times as I read Part II (and getting some very funny looks from the people around me). 

This book picks up pretty much where the first book left off, with a girl walking into the fourth stall and sending Mac's world spinning. Who is she really? What exactly does she want? Why do middle school girls have to be so darn confusing!? I'm not going to answer any of those questions for you, you'll have to pick the book up in February to find out. I will tell you that Rylander does a brilliant job at keeping you guessing at who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. I was pretty sure I knew the score, but I was totally wrong!

What I really like about these books is that Rylander doesn't dumb down the kids or the experiences they have. He acknowledges that kids have these whole worlds that we adults may not be privy too. In this case we see Mac continuing picking up his business as usual as he helps other students fix their problems. The problems the kids have are all very realistic. The last story dealt primarily with bullies (review here) and this one deals with state tests and the pressure they put on kids and teachers alike. Everyone is coming to Mac for help with the test and then there is the additional problem of a new administrator who is cracking down of shenanigans and a new teachers who may be the coolest teacher/coach ever or he might be the devil himself. The methods Mac employs aren't always on the up and up, and I sometimes shake my head that these kids would get away with it at all, but the way Rylander writes it allows for the reader to just go along for the ride, enjoying all the twists and turns as they go. It was also great to revisit some of the characters from the first book, especially the school bullies, who are both the bad guys (because they are bullies), but also the good guys (because they work for Mac). 

I don't want to give anything away, so I will just say, take the next few months to go pick up The Fourth Stall so that come February 7th you are all ready for Part II!

Tweet

Wear Star Wars, Share Star Wars

So I'm writing about an event today and not a book, but it's a good one, so read on and I hope you participate too!

Event: Wear Star Wars, Share Star Wars

Date: December 16th, 2011

About:

Last Year, when first-grader Katie Goldman was taunted for being a girl who loved Star Wars, the Internet held a day of support for her. Please join us in the second annual Wear Star Wars, Share Star Wars event on December 16, 2011.

Celebrate this day of geek pride and anti-bullying by wearing something Star Wars or science fiction related. Since it is the holiday season, we ask that you also donate a Star Wars or science fiction toy to a child in need (but please put a post-it on the new, unwrapped toy specifying that it can go to a girl or a boy; otherwise, these traditional "boy toys" will only be given to boys). You can ring the toy to a hospital, a shelter or drop it off with any organization collecting toys.

Please invite everyone you know to participate in this fun event! The more people who join, the more toys that get donated, and the fun we all have dressing up! Last year 35,000 people participated! 

(From Portrait of an Adoption's Facebook event page )

For more information you can also check out this article on the event from Chicago Now

*****************************

I'm jumping the gun a bit on this event because the charity I'm giving to, The Golisano Children's Hospital in Syracuse, NY who has a donation area at the iSchool at SU, has a deadline of this Wednesday for dropping off toys. So I figured I'd better get on it- although I will definitely be rocking my Star Wars shirt again on the 16th! 

To learn a little more, and see what toy I picked up to donate, check out my Wear Star Wars, Share Star Wars video. Now go get your geek on and donate some toys!

Tweet