2016 Reading Challenge: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Now that my move is complete and life is settling into some semblance of a normal routine, I'm finally feeling like I have time to read again. In the spirit of reducing the time I spend in front of a screen and increasing the time I spend in front of a page, I have created my own reading challenge for 2016. 

I've called it "Get Out of Your Comfort Zone" because the focus is on expanding your perspective and being more open to ideas that are different from your own. I believe the world would be a much kinder place if we could all be more empathetic and understanding of others' opinions and life experiences. Even where we differ, humans all have the same basic need to connect with each other and to find meaning in life. 

I'd love it if you'd read along with me and let me know how you're doing!

2016 Reading Challenge: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

o  A book that teaches you a new skill

o  A book that inspires you

o  A book about creativity

o  A book about relationships

o  A book about science

o  A book about a spiritual tradition different from your own

o  A book written from a political viewpoint different from yours

o  A book about one of your personal heroes

o  A book featuring a topic that piques your curiosity

o  A book featuring one or more LGBTQ characters

o  A book with a female protagonist

o  A book by a female author

o  The first book in a series

o  A book set in a foreign country

o  A book not originally written in your native language

o  A book that transports you to a faraway place and/or time

o  A book with gorgeous cover art

o  A book with a green cover

o  A book with green in the title

o  A book written by John Green

o  A classic you SHOULD have read in high school

o  A book you loved as a child or young adult

o  A banned or challenged book

o  A book you are embarrassed to read in public

o  A collection of short stories

o  A book of poetry

o  A mystery

o  Historical fiction set in a time that fascinates you

o  A fairy tale retelling

o  A genre-bending book

o  An award-winning book

o  A book by an author who shares your first or last name

o  A book by an author you would love to meet

o  A book by an author you would NOT want to meet

Here's the printable version of the list in one page and printable bookmarks.

26 Books Reading Challenge

While browsing Pinterest this morning in order to avoid working on my current writing project, I found this reading challenge. I'm already doing a couple, but this one looks fun and doable (even for people who aren't in the habit of reading the way I am).

I'll be keeping track in the comments. Feel free to join in!

2013 YALSA Hub Reading Challenge - Update #11

Only three books this week, but two were long ones.

One Shot at Forever: A Small Town, an Unlikely Coach, and a Magical Baseball Season by Chris Ballard

Set in the late 60's and early 70's, this is the true story of a small midwestern town and it's little team that could. Like all great baseball stories, this one is about more than baseball. When a young, liberal teacher comes to Macon to teach English, he shakes up the conservative town and only ends up coaching the baseball team because no one else wants the thankless job. 

Lynn Sweet, never intending to hang around Macon for long, ends up making a profound difference in the lives of his students and players. Sweet is the kind of teacher we all wish we had, whose lessons extend far beyond the classroom walls. His students demonstrate that some of the lessons we need to learn, and those that stick with us the longest, can't be measured by a standardized test.

Like Mike Lupica, another of my favorite sporty writers, Chris Ballard tells an engaging story that is accessible even to those of us who don't care much about sports.

The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey

The Monstrumologist, book three.

When Dr. Warthrop sets off on a quest with a new apprentice to find a monster that no one has ever seen (or at least lived to tell about), Will Henry is left behind. For the first time since the death of his parents, he has a chance at a normal life. But Will Henry no longer fits in with a normal family, and despite himself, he misses Warthrop and feels that his place is wherever the doctor is. When Warthrop's assistant returns to tell Will Henry of the doctor's death, Will Henry is convinced that the man is lying. 

Will Henry is soon on Warthrop's trail, and then on his way to Socotra, the Isle of Blood. On the hunt for a mythical monster that kills so violently that the sky literally rains blood and then builds nests from the scattered human remains, Will Henry will need to confront the darkness in his own soul.

Well-written, creepy gothic horror, suitable for adults and mature YA readers.

The Diviners by Libba Bray

The Diviners (the first in a new series, hooray!) is my favorite type of book--a blend of genres, fun to read and difficult to classify. It's a mix of fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, and suspense, with a dash of romance thrown in for good measure. Bray has painstakingly researched the Roaring Twenties and her gorgeous prose brings the period, and her characters, vividly to life.

After getting in trouble back in Ohio, Evie O'Neill's parents send her to New York to stay with her uncle. An expert in occult matters, he runs The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--known by the locals as The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies. When Uncle Will is asked to help the police investigate a series of brutal, occult murders, Evie comes along for the ride. Will her ability to "read" objects help her solve the crimes or make her a victim?

Evie is not the only character with a special gift. There's also a pickpocket on a mission to find his mother, a Ziegfeld girl hiding from a dangerous past, a numbers runner with healing powers, and a museum employee who is more (and less) than he seems. Despite the supernatural elements, these characters are well-developed and realistic.

The audio version is delightful, and some of the expressions that felt a bit forced when I read them were much more natural while listening. 

2013 YALSA Hub Reading Challenge - Update #9

I've been more focused on writing this week than reading. It's week two of Camp Nanowrimo and I've written about a third-ish of my novel--some 19,000 words of literary awesomeness. At least that's what my mom thinks. Still no title, but my characters are starting to come alive and not do what I planned that they would. I completed only one book this week, but it was a "slow read." Next week's list should be more impressive, as I've got a couple of quick-read graphic novels up next.

The Round House by Louise Erdrich

Geraldine Coutts, an Ojibwe woman, lives on a reservation in North Dakota with her husband and teenaged son, Joe. Joe narrates the tale of the day his mother is brutally attacked and its aftermath. Geraldine knows the identity of the man who raped her, but is too afraid to tell either the white or tribal police who did it. Joe teams up with his friends to investigate the crime and to try to bring his mother's attacker to justice. 


The writing is absolutely beautiful and the story, although it meanders off the track occasionally, is one to savor. 

2013 YALSA Hub Reading Challenge - Update #7

It's been a girl power week of reading. Hooray! If only Spring Break could happen more often...

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

Wow. I loved this book. 

First, it's a beautifully told coming-of-age story set in a small town in Montana. The writing is luxurious and brings the setting fully to life. The characters are well-rounded; even the less sympathetic ones aren't all bad. The length might scare some readers away, especially since this is not a Twilight-ish book that a reader can speed through. This is a book to savor, like the unbearably long, hot days of summer that seem to stretch ahead forever, but end all too quickly. 

The fact that Cameron Post is a lesbian is important to the story, but it's not the only aspect of her life that's important to the story. She's a realistically drawn character (faults and all), and her gayness is simply one part of who she is. "I just liked girls because I couldn't help not to." Any young adult, as well as many adults, will be able to relate to Cameron's struggle to find her place in the world around her.

Cameron's parents die in a car accident when she is 12, and her evangelical Aunt Ruth moves in to care for her and her ailing grandmother. For awhile, Cameron pretty much continues to live her life as she wishes, except for church on Sundays and the mandatory youth group. "Being a true believer meant helping others, lots of others, to believe just like me. Rather than convincing me of the righteousness of this kind of believing, rather than making me certain of its correctness, it made me question, and doubt, all the more."

When Ruth finds out about Cam's love affair with a girl in town, she sends Cam to a "pray the gay away" school affiliated with her church. Even as she pretends to play along, Cameron remains skeptical that the staff of God's Promise will be able to cure her of something that is not a disease. Cameron comes to see that the staff really have no idea what they are doing, though she believes that they mean well. She describes Lydia, the head counselor, this way: "...witnessing her administration of ten zillion rules and codes of conduct, all of which she applied to her own life, made her seem fragile and weak, in need of the constant protection of all those rules..." I guess this line resonated with me because it often seems to me that ultra-religious people are obsessed with sin. Like the ONLY thing that keeps one from committing mayhem is the prohibition against doing so. One could argue that truly moral people do not require the threat of punishment to do the right thing. They do the right thing even when no one is watching, judging, or threatening punishment.

While Cameron is not always likable, you'll root for her as she struggles to be true to herself and to live her life according to her own conscience. As she says in a sort of communion with her parents, "Maybe I still haven't become me. I don't know how you tell for sure when you finally have." 

Frank depictions of sex and drug use. Highly recommended for mature readers.

Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

Marvelous story. Marvelous, lush writing. Did I mention that this story is marvelous?

Syrenka is a mermaid, but more of the Brothers Grimm variety than the Disneyfied version we've come to know. She is immortal and deadly, but willing to risk everything when she falls in love with Ezra. They are happy for a time, but the consequences of Syrenka's choices prove deadly.

Many generations later, Hester meets a handsome young man on the beach; the two feel an instant connection, like they've known each other forever. Because the women in her family have some unexplained affliction that causes them to die right after giving birth, Hester is determined to remain alone forever. But, still, there is something about Ezra...

Syrenka's and Hester's intertwined stories are told with prose that flows like ocean currents in alternating chapters. The world of mermaids comes alive in this entrancing tale that combines fantasy and folklore, romance, historical fiction, realistic fiction, and mystery.

Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single girl of high standing at Longbourn Academy must be in want of a prom date."

Fans (especially younger ones) of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice will enjoy this frothy and fun retelling of the classic novel of manners. It's a quick and easy read.

Lizzie Bennet, one of only two scholarship students at the prestigious Longbourn Academy, is a promising musician who dreams of playing in Carnegie Hall. Aside from Charlotte, the other scholarship student, and her roommate, Jane, no one at Longbourn wants anything to do with Lizzie, unless it's to torment her with mean-girl pranks.

Jane falls in love with Charles Bingley, a student at the equally exclusive boys' school, Pemberley, and Lizzie is partnered up with Charles' friend, the wealthy and pretentious Will Darcy. Misunderstandings and crossed signals abound, but readers familiar with the story will realize that everything is going to turn out all right in the end.

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

Tortall Universe, Song of the Lioness #1.

Alanna and her twin brother, Thom, are about to go their separate ways--Alanna to a convent to learn magic, and Thom to the castle to learn to be a knight. Of course, Thom would rather learn magic and Alanna would rather be a knight. Surprise, surprise...they switch places.

We don't hear much from Thom, but Alanna (aka Alan) discovers that the life of a page is harder than she had expected. At times, Alanna seems a little to good to be believable, but she's a strong female character. She finds a well of strength inside herself that will help her be the hero she has always dreamed of. 

A fight between good and evil perfect for middle level readers.

First Test by Tamora Pierce

Tortall Universe, Protector of the Small, #1.

Since I read Alanna: The First Adventure in the same weekend, First Test felt very similar.  Like Alanna, Keladry of Mindalen longs to be a knight. She comes to the castle to become a page, but she does so openly, without concealing her gender. Of course, this opens her up to almost constant abuse from the other pages. Despite the challenges, Keladry refuses to give up and proves herself the equal, and in many cases the better knight, than the other pages.

Keladry, even more than Alanna, is a character to admire. She doesn't strive to become a knight simply to escape her fate as a proper court lady; she believes wholeheartedly in chivalry and protecting those who need protection. She stands up for others and calls the other boys to the carpet when they don't want to follow her lead.

Another excellent fantasy for middle level readers.

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

These weren't on the YALSA list, but worth a look.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

This review refers to the audiobook, read by the author. The footnotes that may have annoyed me had I read this instead of listened to it, came to wonderful, hilarious life.

Of the 50 young women and their chaperones who crash land on a deserted tropical island, only 12 teens survive. Imagine Lord of the Flies, but with more mascara and push-up bras.

I wasn't too sure about this concept at first, as I generally prefer Libba Bray when she's doing historical fiction. However, once I got drawn in, I loved the satire about our consumer culture and unrealistic expectations for women. Bray's beauty queens begin by seeing each other as obstacles; once they get to know each other, they realize they can only succeed together.

The thing I love most about satire is that it makes you laugh, even as it makes you think. However, misogynists beware: feminism abounds. If you like your women quiet, obedient, and pregnant, you'll probably hate this book. I thought it was hilarious and empowering.

Viral Storm: The Dawn of a New Pandemic Age by Nathan Wolfe

There were several things I liked about this book, even though it's not the type of thing I usually read. First, as a science novice, I appreciated the simple explanations of how viruses evolve and function. Learning how viruses jump from animals to humans was fascinating. Wolfe's assertion that perhaps we are overspending on stopping terrorist attacks and would be better served (in terms of protecting human life) by funding more scientific research makes perfect sense. Although his name-dropping goes a bit overboard at times, I get that he's doing it to highlight the useful research that is happening around the world and to remind us to keep funding it.

It's funny that some people view this book as "alarmist." I didn't feel that way at all. On the contrary, I felt that Wolfe was giving both sides about viruses. They aren't all trying to kill us. Many viruses are beneficial, or at least do no harm, and can be harnessed to help fight disease. His assertion is that we should not be trying to eradicate all viruses. Instead, we should be focused on the truly harmful ones that have the ability to cause pandemics.

2013 YALSA Hub Reading Challenge - Weekly Update #1

I started out by rereading a couple of books on my bookshelf that I read a few years ago. I am also listening to the audiobooks in the Inheritance Cycle in preparation for the final book, Inheritance, that is actually on the list.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

When newly popular Frankie finds herself excluded from her boyfriend's all-male secret society, she does what any smart, self-respecting, budding feminist would do--she comes up with a brilliant plot to take over as "Alpha Dog" of the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds.  Her daring pranks are soon the talk of the whole school, but the reaction is still not quite what she expected.

I thoroughly enjoyed this thought-provoking and entertaining book.  The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because I was slightly disappointed in the ending.

First Crossing:  Stories about Teen Immigrants by Donald R. Gallo (ed.)


A collection of ten short stories centered around teenage immigrants and some of the issues they face.

Just as in real life, the immigrants in these stories are from many different cultural backgrounds and come to live in America for a wide variety of reasons. Some of the highlights: "First Crossing" about a Mexican boy's first illegal trip into the US; "Pulling Up Stakes" about a Transylvanian boy who finds himself befriended by a group of vampire-loving goth kids; "The Green Armchair" about a young girl who works in her father's furniture repair shop.

Eragon (audiobook) by Christopher Paolini

First in the Inheritance series.

Eragon is a teenaged orphan who lives with his uncle's family. They are poor and when Eragon finds a beautiful blue stone, he tries to trade it for food. 

The stone turns out to be a dragon's egg. The egg chooses Eragon and hatches for him. He is set on a course to become a dragon rider. 

Eragon is a fairly typical fantasy adventure. While the writing is often immature and well-read fantasy fans we notice many details borrowed from other books and movies, the book is still entertaining and worth a look for fantasy fans.

Eldest (audiobook) by Christopher Paolini

Second book in the Inheritance series.

Though the Star Wars parallel continues, I did like this one better than Eragon because Paolini's writing has matured.

The story picks right where Eragon left off.  Though Eragon and Saphira made it through the battle at Tronjheim, Galbatorix still rules Alagaesia.  To get ready for the battle against Galbatorix, Eragon visits the elves, where he and Saphira hone their communication and improve their battle skills.

Meanwhile, back at Carvahall, Eragon's cousin Roran leads a rebellion against Galbatorix after Roran's fiancée, Katrina, is kidnapped.  He blames Eragon for keeping the mysterious stone and starting the whole mess.

While Eragon's story falls flat in many places, I loved Roran's story.  He is a simple man who rises to do extraordinary things when he must.  The same applies to Eragon, but I just find Roran more interesting (even though he doesn't get a dragon).

YALSA's 2013 Hub Reading Challenge

I can't believe I've never done this challenge before, as it's right up my alley. It's time for the 2013 Hub YA Reading Challenge.  Many of these books are already on my TBR list.   overflowing with booknerdy excitement!

From February 3 to June 22, read at least 25 of the 83 books from a list of eligible titles (all are award winners).  A bonus challenge is to read all 83--that's my goal.

The prize? In addition to experiencing the best of contemporary YA lit, be entered to win a YALSA tote bag filled with YA books!  Squeee!

I'll be starting with Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney.  Next up? The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

Now excuse me, I have some reading to do, as I'm starting a week late...

Update (2/9/13 9:40 PM)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever is the sixth installment in the Wimpy Kid series.

Greg Hefley is desperately trying to stay on Santa's nice list, while also finding a way to keep his virtual pet happy and outfitted in the latest fashions (which requires real money).  Of course, Greg's schemes don't turn out the way he intended and he is soon on the run from the law. Worse yet, a blizzard blows into town and (gasp!) traps him in the house with his mom and brothers.  Which is worse? Greg isn't too sure.

My favorite quote from the book:  “So I've started wearing sweatpants to bed because I really don't need Santa seeing me in my underwear.” 

I can't wait to share this hilarious book with my students. They love the rest of the series and I'm sure this one will be a big hit as well.

Update (2/10/13 4:27 PM)
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I love John Green's writing and I marked lots of great lines as I read that I intended to use in my review. In the end, though, this simple and repeated exchange between Hazel and Augustus says it all. 

"Okay?'

"Okay."

They meet at a cancer support group--Hazel is terminal, but her tumors are being kept at bay for the foreseeable future and Augustus is in remission, but missing a leg. As our protagonists fall in love, awkwardly and sweetly, they know that their "forever" will be brief. After all, "[s]ome infinities are bigger than other infinities."

What I loved most about this beautiful, humorous, and heartbreaking story is how real the love story and the friendships feel. Hazel and Augustus fear that their lives will be meaningless, that they will be forgotten when they die. What each finds in the other is a glimpse of what their lives have meant to another. Just like in our real, everyday lives, these ordinary characters find the extraordinary in each other. And that's what love is.

"Okay?"

"Okay."

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Turning Classic Literature into Artwork

Now a thousand words (and more) can MAKE a picture. Postertext.com uses the words from classic literature to create posters that represent each book. So far, choices are limited, but what a great idea!

Now Wuthering Heights (and other books) can grace your walls. Check out the link to see all of the available posters:

Wuthering Heights poster | Book posters for reading enthusiasts - Postertext

My new library

Most people have a to-be-read pile; I have a to-be-read room. Up until this past weekend, it looked like this:





After much shifting of boxes and several hours of banging and pounding, it looked like this:




Finally, after several more hours of hefting and sorting, I have a library. Didn't go Dewey, but the books are alphabetized so I can find stuff. As I was sorting, I only found one book that I mistakenly bought twice. And it's by one of my favorite authors, so that's okay.

This is my new haven:




Lots of books and a cozy room to read them in--bliss.

Check out the view from my office

My classroom is shaping up, though I still have tons to do before kids show up on Tuesday. My desk is on the yet-to-be-organized list, but my books are all at home on their shiny new shelves. Whenever I start to feel too stressed, I can sit back in my comfy office chair and peruse my mighty empire of books. Ahhh...





The actual classroom remains "under construction," but we're getting there. I'll go in tomorrow to (hopefully) finish setting up the physical space. Then I can spend the rest of the long weekend writing curriculum. FUN.

Irritated by a Book

I really hate reading fiction and being smacked in the face with an author's agenda. Sheesh, that crap should be saved for non-fiction. At least you know the kind of drivel you'll be getting from Ann Coulter or Jerry Falwell.

Books and music go together like...

Spent the day skimming through my music collection looking for songs that would be good motivation to skate to. Of course, being a pretty typical woman, I couldn't merely do that and move on.

Instead, I got sidetracked once I noticed a song by Kate Bush called Wuthering Heights that I haven't listened to for some time. The song shares a title with a book by Emily Bronte. I stopped to listen to it and to think about how much I love the book. Then I thought it might be fun to look for other music in my collection with literary references.

Meanwhile, my original playlist is half finished...

This is what I've come up with so far. Can anyone add to my list?

Anthem by Rush
Basket Case by Green Day
Clocks by Coldplay
Cloudbusting by Kate Bush
Daddy by Jewel
Don Quixote by Gordon Lightfoot
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Metallica
Frankenstein by Edgar Winter
Ghost World by Aimee Mann
Goldrush Brides by 10,000 Maniacs
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John
Guinnevere Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Hey, Jack Kerouac by 10,000 Maniacs
Home at Last by Steely Dan
I Am the Walrus by The Beatles
Kid Charlemagne by Steely Dan
Leaving Las Vegas Sheryl Crow
Misty Mountain Hop by Led Zeppelin
Mock Turtle's Song by Steely Dan
Moby Dick by Led Zeppelin
Nutshell by Alice in Chains
Orestes by A Perfect Circle
Prince of Tides by Jimmy Buffett
Ramble On by Led Zeppelin
Rivendell by Rush
Romeo And Juliet by Dire Straits
Sensual World by Kate Bush
Sister Moon by Sting
Sleep To Dream by Fiona Apple
Tales of Brave Ulysses by Cream
Tangled Up In Blue by Bob Dylan
The Barricades of Heaven by Jackson Browne
The Battle of Evermore by Led Zeppelin
The End by The Doors
The Ground Beneath Her Feet by U2
Tom Sawyer by Rush
Troy by Sinead O'connor
Virginia Woolf by The Indigo Girls
White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane
Who Wrote Holden Caulfield? by Green Day
Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush