Review: Kissing Tennessee by Kathi Appelt

5 sweet chocolate chip cookies.

Cover Love:  It's alright.  The color is what caught my eye.  That and the author's name.

Why I Wanted to Read This:

I was doing inventory i my library and started with the short story books.  When I saw this one was written by Kathi Appelt I immediately started reading.  She is amazing.  Here is the synopsis from GoodReads:

Mason and Carrie Marie can't get up the courage to ask each other to dance. Russ's girlfriend has died, and now he's just trying to live without her. Peggy Lee has grown up with Tennessee--how can she ever think of him as more than a friend?
In these moving tales and others, Kathi Appelt captures the sometimes amusing, sometimes touching missteps of some unforgettable students, who come together one last time for the most memorable night of their young lives.

I Kept Reading Because:
The stories were short and the reading was quick.  And sweet.  And emotional.

Romance?:  Yes!  All kinds.

What I Liked (& Didn't):

In the very first story there is a a boy just wanting to make the walk across the gym and ask a girl to dance.  It is such a pretty story and it just takes you back to those first crushes.  There is a line that Ms. Appelt writes: "She takes up all the space inside me."  Isn't that a perfect description of romance and first love and crushes?

Also, Kathi Appelt needs to write a romance.  Maybe even a YA romance.  Soon.

And the stories just pick up from there.  There is first kisses, girls learning to be independent, a couple heart breaking romances, a boy struggling with his feelings for another boy, an assault, all of it.  It's all packed into this little book of stories and they are written so well.  I always feel like I am reading a song when I read Kathi Appelt.

This is a rare book where I teared up smiling and teared up because it broke my heart.  And I grinned because I can remember feeling those feelings. This is an awesome middle grade-on the cusp of adulthood book!

To Sum Up:  I am going to be adding this one to the book I booktalk.  I hope it finds someone who recognizes how special it is!

Book from my library.

Guest Posting!

Hi everyone! Today,  I am over at The O.W.L visiting Jill, one of my favorite bloggers!  She ran a whole month of Middle Grade Madness and has had some great events and postings and interviews, you should check them all out.  My post was about how Middle Grade books can help you be a better parent, or at least see things from your tween and young teens point of view.  Check it out!!

Tween Tuesday: Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick

4 soft oatmeal butterscotch cookies.

Cover Love:  I really like this cover, but it's not the one for the book I read.  The other one was okay though.  My only problem with the newer Sonnenblick covers is that the boys look older than they are in the book.  Although this kid looks like he could be a 7th grader.

Why I Wanted To Read This Book:

I started reading After Ever After because I booktalk it in school a lot and I had never read it.  I was a few pages in when I realized it was the sequel to this one, so I stopped that one and pick this one up!  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

From first-time novelist Jordan Sonnenblick, a brave and beautiful story that will make readers laugh and break their hearts at the same time.Thirteen-year-old Steven has a totally normal life: he plays drums in the All-Star Jazz band, has a crush on the hottest girl in the school, and is constantly annoyed by his five-year-old brother, Jeffrey. But when Jeffrey is diagnosed with leukemia, Steven's world is turned upside down. He is forced to deal with his brother's illness and his parents' attempts to keep the family in one piece. Salted with humor and peppered with devastating realities, DRUMS, GIRLS, AND DANGEROUS PIE is a heartwarming journey through a year in the life of a family in crisis.

I Kept Reading Because:
Wow.  What a story.  I couldn't put it down.

Romance?:  No, but some middle school crushing.

What I Liked (& Didn't):

First of all, this story hit home hard.  My oldest son is sick, not with cancer and overall his health is really good, but he has a chronic disease (crohns).  When we were in the midst of him being pretty sick and getting a diagnosis my youngest son was kind of lost in the shuffle.  And no matter how hard you try for that not to happen it just does.  So, I found myself crying a bunch as I read this book and feeling so much for Steven and the family.  But there was also humor and hope and love.

Steven was such a well written character.  He was mixed up and hurting and trying so hard to be the good son for everyone in his family.  And he was such an amazing big brother to Jeffrey!  Jeffrey was so lucky to have Steven.  When Steven finally went with Jeffrey to the hospital it was so emotional.  I think it is good for siblings to see what their brother or sister goes through when they have a disease and having treatments.

Jeffrey was also so good about going through what he was going through.  For such a little guy to have to deal with that!  It makes your heart hurt a little for sure. 

The girls in Steven's life were so sweet and caring!  I was glad people at school rallied around Steven to help him through his brother's disease.

To Sum Up:  Such an amazing look at what a disease does to a family.  And to have it from teh point of view of a middle grade boy!  So well written.

Book from my library's collection.

Tween Tuesday was created by Sarah, the GreenBeanTeenQueen.  Check her out!

Review: Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

4 good tasting 7 layer bars!

Cover Love:  I think this cover is awesome, however, I don't think it fits the book in tone or plot very well.

Why I Wanted to Read This:  a few weeks ago I had an interesting twitter conversation with Carrie Harris & Joanne Levy about 80's style hair.  Because of this hysterical post Carrie did on her blog.  She seemed like such a fun person I went right out and got this book from my public library.  Here's the synopsis from Good Reads:

Someone's been a very bad zombie.
Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steriods are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate! She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town  . . . and stay hormonally human.

I Kept Reading Because: It was fun and action packed.

Romance?: The start of one.

What I Liked (& Didn't):

I adored Kate.  She is a nerd who is just coming into her own with her brains and beauty, but she doesn't realize that.  And she is the one everyone turns to when things start spiraling out of control.  She is like a nerd Buffy.

Aaron (Kate's football playing crush) wasn't in the book as much as I'd hoped, but what I saw of him I really liked.  Not your typical football player, but a super sweet guy who is crushing on Kate!  I really want to see more of that relationship in the next book!

This is a book that doesn't take itself too seriously..  Serious things happen, but the overall tone is light and there is quite a bit of humor.  It's like Kate cannot quite believe the situation she is in so she just makes light of it.  But she works hard to come up with a solution.

So, this was a character driven novel for me.  The plot was fun and fast paced, but I really liked the people.

To Sum Up:  I am buying this for my library because it has zombies, action, romance and a great main character!  I look forward to Kate's next adventure.

Giveaway: Time Traveling Fashionista On Board the Titanic

If there is one thing I have learned since becoming a librarian is that kids LOVE the Titanic.  No matter that it happened 100 years ago, kids love reading about the Titanic.  I saw this firsthand when my own son was bitten by the Titanic bug.  He has more facts crammed into that little head of his than I ever knew.  He read and watched everything he could get his hands on (we even got to go to the Titanic museum in Las Vegas a few years ago!).

Knowing that you can see why I am so excited to be able to offer this fun giveaway to you!  I have been given THREE copies of this book to give away.  It is the sequel to The Time Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky.  This book has been a huge hit in my library.  It is always checked out!  Here's the synopsis for The Time Traveling Fashionista On Board the Titanic:

A gorgeous evening dress magically transports a precocious twelve-year-old onboard the Titanic in this adventurous time-traveling series debut for lovers of vintage-fashion.

Thirty full-color fashion illustrations are featured throughout the book, showcasing beautiful dresses and fashion designs throughout history.  

Bianca runs the studio of acclaimed artist/filmmaker Julian Schnabel, and is happy to speak to her love and expertise of vintage clothing (the book includes 25 full-color fashion illustrations from the time period). Her next book in the series is set in the Marie-Antoinette era. Over the summer, she went to Paris to do extensive research on this period.

To enter please fill out this form below.  This contest is open only to US residents and will close on March 31! 

To the Top of the Pile: Ripper by Stefan Petrucha

Do you ever get a book that you have been so excited to read that it jumps to the top of your TBR. Over all the ones that you have to read for blog tours or review requests? Every now and again this happens to me so I have decided to start posting about those books that jump to the top of my pile!

The first is Ripper by Stefan Petrucha.

I put a copy on hold at my public library a few weeks when this was released.  For some reason the cover and the titled really caught my attention.  It became available for me yesterday.  I ran right over there and started it when I got home.  Even though I already have two other book going.  This one just jumped straight to the top of the pile for me!  Here's the synopsis from Good Reads: 

You thought you knew him. You were dead wrong.

Carver Young dreams of becoming a detective, despite growing up in an orphanage with only crime novels to encourage him. But when he is adopted by Detective Hawking of the world famous Pinkerton Agency, Carver is given not only the chance to find his biological father, he finds himself smack in the middle of a real life investigation: tracking down a vicious serial killer who has thrown New York City into utter panic. When the case begins to unfold, however, it’s worse than he could have ever imagined, and his loyalty to Mr. Hawking and the Pinkertons comes into question. As the body count rises and the investigation becomes dire, Carver must decide where his true loyalty lies.


Full of whip-smart dialogue, kid-friendly gadgets, and featuring a then New York City Police Commisioner Teddy Roosevelt, Ripper challenges everything you thought you knew about the world’s most famous serial killer.

Author I Want to Read: Joan Aiken

Do you have an author that has been on your list for years and years that you just never get around to reading?  I have several!  I am not sure why I never read them, sometimes I am afraid that the book I want to read most won't be as good as I expect or that the books in general don't stand the test of time.  At any rate, I am starting this new series on my blog with Joan Aiken.  Here's the book that always, always captures my attention:

For some reason I love this cover.  It looks desolate, and gothic.  And the synopsis is so gothic is practically screams:

Wicked wolves and a grim governess threaten Bonnie and her cousin Sylvia when Bonnie's parents leave Willoughby Chase for a sea voyage. Left in the care of the cruel Miss Slighcarp, the girls can hardly believe what is happening to their once happy home. The servants are dismissed, the furniture is sold, and Bonnie and Sylvia are sent to a prison-like orphan school. It seems as if the endless hours of drudgery will never cease.

With the help of Simon the gooseboy and his flock, they escape. But how will they ever get Willoughby Chase free from the clutches of the evil Miss Slighcarp?

What I didn't realize is that The Wolves of Willoughby Chaseis the first book in a series of 12 books called The Wolf Chronicles.  How did I not read these as a child?!  I loved Bellairs and these books seem so similar to those.  In fact, she has written around 60 books!  Here is a lovely interview with her on IndieBound.  She was still writing late into her life but she passed away in 2004.

Every year I check this book out from whatever library I am working at because I always plan to give it a go.  And every year it gets pushed aside for newer and shinier.  This summer, when it is hot out and I am tired of sweating all day long, I vow to give this one a try!

What about you, do you have an author you really want to read?  Have you ever read Joan Aiken?  What do you think?

Books Into Movies

As everyone anxiously awaits the release of The Hunger Games I thought it would be fun to go through this list on Entertainment Weekly about the 26 Disappointing Movie Adaptions.  It's a great list, some I agree with, some I don't but it's a fun list to go over!  Here are the books I have read and the movies I have seen:

The Great Gatsby:  I had to read this in high school and I think I saw the movie.  I am sorry to say neither left an impression with me.
Dune:  Never read the book but I really enjoyed the Scifi Channel's adaptions from a few years ago.  James McAvoy!!
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil:  I did read this book before the movie came out and really liked it.  When I saw the bad reviews the movie got, I skipped watching it. 
The Golden Compass:  I read all three books in about a week (I listened to the audio of the first too on a road trip then read the third) in anticipation of the movie.  I didn't find anything overly wrong with the movie, I just didn't feel it captured my interest like the books did.
The Da Vinci Code:  Read the book and loved it.  I also really liked the movie. Not sure why it made this list.
Fever Pitch:  Didn't read the book nor saw the movie so I can't comment.
Memoirs if a Geisha:  Neither.
The Son of Thunder:  Nope.
Troy:  Neither.
Bridget Jones Edge of Reason:  I loved all of Bridget Jones' books and was disappointed with this movie.  The first was excellent though.
Vanity Fair:  Have never read the book but I did like this movie.
The Human Stain: Neither.
The Cat in the Hat & The Grinch Who Stole Christmas:  I think both of these movies were visually amazing but I didn't like the back stories for either one.
The Rules of Attraction:  I never read this book but the movie terrified me!  I don't ever want my kids to go to college...
Planet of the Apes:  I actually read this book.  It was awesome.  However I read it way after I saw the first movie so I can't say that it was so much better.  All of my images as I read came from the movie.
Prozac Nation:  I haven't read the book or watched the movie, but this write up made me want to read the book.
The Musketeer:  Haven't read it but have seen many variations and enjoy some of them.  I haven't seen this version though.
Eyes Wide Shut:  Neither
Bicentennial Man:  Neither.
Simon Birch:  Nope
Sphere:  Read the book didn't ever see the movie.
The Scarlet Letter:  Had to read the book in high school.  Didn't like it enough to see the movie!
The Bonfire of the Vanities:  Neither
The Running Man:  Loved this novella by Stephen King. Did not like them movie.
The Cotton Club:  Neither

What about you?  Which one do you disagree with?

Retro Tween Tuesday: Deathwatch by Robb White

3 chewy & chocolatey peanut butter cookies.

Cover Love:  It's okay.  I do love the fingers gripping the side of the cliff in the foreground.

Why I Wanted to Read This:

I had a teacher come in looking for this book for a read-aloud for his class.  He recalled reading it and loving it.  When a teacher raves about a book they remember I always want to give it a try!  Here's the synopsis from Wikipedia:

Deathwatch's plot features a skilled and successful hunter and lawyer, Madec, who receives a rare permit to shoot bighorn sheep in California's Mojave desert. He hires a timid college student named Ben, who is going to help show Madec where the bighorn are. After accidentally shooting an old prospector, Ben refuses to keep it a secret and tries to get Madec to admit his mistake. As Madec is too important to sit in jail, he decides to eliminate the only witness to the crime, Ben.

I Kept Reading Because: I was super suspenseful. It lagged a bit in the middle, but it was short book and it didn't take long to get past that part.

Romance?: Nope.

What I Liked (& Didn't): 

 The writer certainly did what he needed to with the characters.  I was rooting for Ben and I hated Madec.

I don't know if I have ever told you, but I have a flaw in my reading abilities.  I have a very hard time picturing things in my head so when an author spends a lot of time describing how something looks I get bored.  Because the setting was definitely another character in the book the author spent a lot of time describing it, so I did skip sections. 

The time Ben spent trying to survive in the desert was tense.  There was action, but most of it was psychological.  Madec was always one step ahead!  And when they finally made it back to town Madec was one step ahead there too!!  That last part made me so angry and uptight.  It was great.

As I was reading I was explaining the plot to my younger son he got totally into it.  I had to give it to him to read after I got done!

To Sum Up:

Quick read with lots of suspense.  I think this one would be a hit with many male readers!

Book from my library collection!

Review: Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey

4 yummy double stuffed Oreos.

Cover Love:  Not really.  I like Hunter but I don't think Quinn is as good looking as the book describes him!

Why I Wanted to Read This:

Because I LOVE the Drakes! This is the third book in the series.  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Hunter Wild is the youngest in a long line of elite vampire hunters, a legacy that is both a blessing and a curse at the secret Helios-Ra Academy, where she excels at just about everything. Thanks to her friendship with Kieran Black, Hunter receives a special invitation to attend the coronation of Helena Drake, and for the first time, she sees the difference between vampires that must be hunted and vampires that can become friends-or even more. When students at the academy fall victim to a mysterious illness, Hunter suspects they are under attack from within. She will need someone she can trust to help her save the future of Helios-Ra . . . help that shockingly comes in the form of Quinn Drake, a drop-dead gorgeous vampire. Who said senior year would be easy?

I Kept Reading Because: I love the Drakes!

Romance?: Of course!

What I Liked (& Didn't):

Here's one of the things I love about these romances: the main characters don't fight their attraction! They both acknowledge and flirt and eventually start this relationship.

I really liked Hunter.  She is probably my favorite heroine in a Drake novel so far.   I also loved Quinn, of course.  The Drake brothers are the best!

I liked the direction that the big storyline took.  After the ending of the last book it was nice to see that the author was able to create another conflict in this vampire world.  I hope that all the Drakes get paired off eventually (and that there are books for each one).

These books are just such great distractions from my real life!  I love escaping into the world of the Drakes.

To Sum Up:  These books are big hits at my school and I have already started teh fourth one!

Book from my library but I also bought it on my Nook in the form of Ruling Passion, a bind up of the first three Drake books for only 6.99!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

*I haven't been a very good book blogger this week. 
But, I finished two books and will be reviewing them soon.

*My oldest child turned 14!  Gak!!

*I have a horrendous cough that will not end--it has sent me to bed early every evening this week.  I finally got put on antibiotics but they aren't working yet.

*And I spent all week working on this darling display for the hallway by our library!  I took pictures of a bunch of teachers reading their books.  The students have to guess who each teacher is.  The top three guessers will win prizes!  I have had a ball taking pictures of the teachers and I think the kids will have a ball guessing who they are. 

Review: Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey

4 yummy, yummy frosted maple cookies.

Cover Love:

Not really.  I don't really like the models and I hate how they are laying on the cover.

Why I Wanted to Read This:

I loved Hearts at Stake and knew I wanted to continue on with the Drake family.  It just took me awhile to pick this one up!
Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

It's been centuries since Isabeau St. Croix barely survived the French Revolution. Now she's made her way back to the living and she must face the ultimate test by confronting the evil British lord who left her for dead the day she turned into a vampire. That's if she can control her affection for Logan Drake, a vampire whose bite is as sweet as the revenge she seeks.
The clans are gathering for Helena's royal coronation as the next vampire queen, and new alliances are beginning to form now that the old rifts of Lady Natasha's reign have started to heal. But with a new common enemy, Leander Montmarte—a vicious leader who hopes to force Solange to marry him and usurp the power of the throne for himself—the clans must stand together to preserve the peace he threatens to destroy.
This second adventure in the Drake Chronicles—told from both Logan's and Isabeau's perspectives—has all the same butt-kicking action, heart-pounding romances and snarky humor that readers loved in Hearts at Stake, as well as exciting new revelations about the vampire dynasties to keep readers coming back for more.

I Kept Reading Because: 

I love the Drakes and the whole storyline.

Romance?:  Of course.

What I Liked (& Didn't):

I adore all the Drakes and want more and more of their stories!  Logan was just awesome and I loved Isabeau way more than I expected to.  I didn't remember her from Hearts at Stake so when I read the synopsis for this one I was expecting a spoiled princess type vampire.  Not at all!  She was very tough.

The synopsis also didn't reveal that she had been buried ever since she was bitten.  She hadn't lived through everything so she really was a new-ish vampire herself.

These books remind me of romance novels, but without all the sex.  Alyxanrda Harvey has created a large vampire family so she can just write a story for all the brothers and keep this series going for awhile.  You always know they are going to end up together, there is really no surprise.  That's what makes it so much fun!  It's just the getting there.  And the couple you just read about pop up in the next book!

I liked how Isabeau was not so tough that she didn't recognize her feelings for Logan.  She didn't even really fight them.  The eventual getting together was not drug out over too many pages!

Lots of action!  Super vampire fights.

To Sum Up:  If you like vampires or romances these are great books for you.  All the kids I have had read them have moved them and we are all looking forward to more Drake stories!

Book bought for my own personal collection but I have bought them all for my library as well!

Series That Fizzle: Nightshade

Sometimes a series ensnares you and you can't wait for the next book.  You count down the days!
Sometimes you enjoy a series and know you want to read the next book, but you'll get around to it sometime.
Then sometimes a series ensnares you with book one then totally loses you with later books.
Welcome to my newest feature:  Series that Sizzle; Series that Interest; and Series that Fizzle.

Today is the first series that fizzled for me:  Nightshade by Andrea Cremer.

I loved Nightshade.  For me it was the start of a series that would Sizzle.  Then I read Wolfsbane.  This middle book just felt like a filler book to me.  I am not sure why it lost my interest.  Maybe it was the cover change.  Maybe it was that there was too long of a wait between books (which could be another post altogether--wait till all books are published or read as they come out?).  I am not sure what it was, but I just lost interest for Bloodrose when it came out.  (However I bought it for my library and it has been very popular with my werewolf loving readers, so I might have to try it this summer).