Reading Round Up-October

I didn't get much reading done in October due to all the various events my sons and husband participate in during the fall. But we are now into the quieter month of November and maybe I will get more done then (although it is sweeps month on TV). Here's what I read:

The Missing Girl by Norma Fox Mazer
(I didn't love this one, slow build up, not a big climax)

N.E.R.D.S by Michael Buckley
(a good start to a new series by the author of the Sister's Grimm books (I loved these as well))(on a side note, I won a contest from this author and he sent our school two signed copies of N.E.R.D.S--so excited!)

The Compound by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen
(I thougth this was a dystopian novel (love those so much) but there was a pretty big twist to it. Good quick read.)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney
(this was the publishing event of the fall for children's librarians. I loved it, funnier than The Last Straw (book #3) and my son read it cover to cover in two days--a big feat for him because he doesn't love reading. On the down side he said a few people made fun of him at school for having it-they said it was for younger kids, he's a sixth grader in his first year of middle school...if it's not for him who is it for?!)

The Littles by John Peterson
(my younger son Max and I started our own book club this summer. We read a bunch of Magic Treehouse books, but he moved on this fall to The Littles. We are going to have our discussion dinner this weekend.)
(Max has discovered that one big way to connect with me is to become a reader--something his older brother doesn't get much to my frustration, so this year he keeps talking about how much he loves reading, and he is doing a great job getting a lot of reading in. He still chooses computer or TV before books, but I think that will change a bit by the end of the year...and if I tell him he can stay up later as long as he is reading in bed then he will always chose that.)

Fire by Kristin Cashore
(this companion novel to Graceling did not disappoint. A little slow in the beginning, but with a great finish. I love this author--she is just a great writer!)

Sleepaway Girls by Jennifer Calonita
(I always wanted to attend a summer camp, so this "genre" is kind of my guilty pleasure. Whenever I find a summer camp book I read it. This was a very good coming-of-age story--light hearted and fun to read).

Stage Fright (Allie Finkle #4) by Meg Cabot
(I love, love, love Allie Finkle. This one was so good and for any third, fourth or fifth grade girls struggling with friendship, Allie will help you out!)

I think this is kind of a pathetic list, but then again, it was 8 books (although The Littles doesn't really count because it took me all of 30 minutes)

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of Fallen by Lauren Kate, it has started out good, I am just not finding enough time to read!

Every now and again I feel guilty because I might get to school a tinge later than I am supposed to or leave a bit earlier than I should, but then I think of all the hours I spend reading books from my collection and I feel better. I mean, it is work. If I didn't read a good sampling of the books and authors I have how would I be able to match students with books they will read and hopefully love, right?! This is the argument I am going to pose to my principal the next time he tries to give me any crap about anything. I know he will think it is not work because I love to read, but sometimes I actually force myself to read something from my library that I don't actually want to read, so that is work. Right?!