Currently reading.... 3 Books!

Yep. I'm reading 3 books right now. I'm totally reading only for sheer escapist pleasure and I'm reading what strikes my fancy at the moment.

Right now:

Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie. This is a book where I know exactly what's going to happen. That's why I'm reading it. I want to see the uppity social neo-Puritan in the story fall on his butt. I want to see the girl and the guy fall in love despite their obvious differences and to be able to let go of their baggage. I want the nice girl in the town to find her dreams. I will get what I want and I will vicariously enjoy their triumph and ups and downs. Escapist non-literature at its best.

Castle Corona by Sharon Creech. Again, I'm pretty sure I know what's going to happen, but the journey is fun to go along with. This is a simple story with interesting little undertones.

Crown of Embers by Rae Carson. Just started this one... a sequel to the really cool book, A Girl of Fire and Thorns. I liked Fire and Thorns so much because the protagonist, Elisa, isn't a girl that needs saving. She is mentally strong, smart and not thin or pretty. An usual heroine in today's world indeed!

Finished: The Death of Bees

The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell

Nelly and Marnie have lost their parents just before Christmas. But they don't really miss them. Their parents were absent, neglectful and abusive. The next-door neighbor, Lennie, an older gay man with a shameful past befriends them and provides them a home--but how long can their thrown-together family last when Social Services, a man looking for his money and a long-absent grandfather search for the missing parents?

This book was a great read, though I wanted more. I enjoyed how each chapter was told from a different perspective with the oldest daughter, Marnie taking turns narrating with Lennie and Nelly. Each person understands the world differently from the others and their limited ability to see the full picture (which we as readers know) is heartbreaking sometimes.

O'Donnell has been a screenwriter and I think I'd love to see this book done up as a movie. It has that feeling--that it needs more visuals that a movie could provide.

The book explores family--the ideas that blood relations aren't necessarily the most important components of creating lasting bonds and that there are many different ways to love, hate and forgive.

Recommended.

Now Listening: Ghost Story -- Jim Butcher

Ghost Story by Jim Butcher is part of the Harry Dresden series.

If you haven't read any of the other Dresden books, then there are a lot of spoilers for you if you skip and read/listen to this one.

So far, I'm enjoying the audio production. I think Dresden's a character that you'll either love or hate. He's sarcastic, mouths- off to things that are bigger and scarier than him and he's one tough Wizard. A lot of backstory for Dresden gets filled in and I'm enjoying the details (since I've read allll the other books.)

Overall, it's not a bad way to spend my commute to work... it's a good escape. But really, don't pick it up if you haven't read the others: it won't make a lick of sense to you unless you know the characters already.

Just read: Gravediggers, Mountain of Bones

I've just finished Gravediggers: Mountain of Bones by Christopher Krovatin.

This book is a little bit scary, but also, it's really a lot about mystery. Three 6th graders, Kendra, Ian and PJ (all of who don't like each other too much anymore)  end up getting lost in a very bad neck of the woods. As they penetrate the forest and get more and more lost, they are drawn into a world that turns their expectations upside down, brings them closer together (whether they want to be or not!) and is really rather spooky. I don't want to give too much away because a lot of the fun in reading this story was finding out just what the heck was going on! The mystery part of what's happening and why it's happening is very interesting and the resolution of the mystery isn't a let-down at all: instead, I'm very satisfied and even more intrigued.

Some of the writing felt a little uneven to me at times where I found myself losing my sense of "suspended disbelief" that we all need to have while reading fiction. But it wasn't jarring enough to mar the whole of the story. I am looking forward to the sequel and learning more about the cool magical world that Krovatin created.

I think this book is a good recommended read for anyone who enjoyed Delaney's Last Apprentice series and since its recced by R.L. Stine, I think Goosebumps fans might like it, too.

Currently Reading: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

I have always wanted to read this book--there's so much controversy surrounding it, yet when you open the book, it reminds me so much of Diary of Wimpy Kid or Dear Dumb Diary. The illustrations are humorous, silly and child-like in the same manner of these two stories. However, the issues that the main character faces (like having only 1 day to have ten(!) teeth pulled or only one kind of glasses to choose from--ugly ones) on the "rez" aren't funny at all.

I'm only on the first 2 chapters and I've been really slow reading novels recently. I think it's because I have a lot on my mind.

So... more about the book later, but so far, I'm liking it.