Karen's Book Nook

Ok, here’s the scoop:  I’ve been so busy READING and being outside that I’m barely online these days. Since I’m so behind on summaries and reviews that I’ll likely never catch up, I’m just going to move forward and do the equivalent of a Google Reader “mark all read’  to get out of this hole. Here’s what I’ve read that I failed to review. I’ll be in much better shape to keep up when I don’t have a mountain to climb.

Since I’m feeling better and the weather has been outstanding, I’ve been “plugged in” and read mostly audio books while exercising, working in the yard or just being on the go: Fearless Fourteen, Kira Kira, Susannah’s Garden, Catching Fire, All in One Piece, The Golden Compass, Finger Lickin Fifteen, The Black Ice, Crispin, Cross of Lead, and A Single Shard.

Arcadia Falls and The Reptile Room were paper books.

Three of the books were Newbery Medal winners: Kira-Kira, Crispin, and A Single Shard.  Catching Fire, The Golden Compass and The Reptile Room were also YA/Children’s Literature selections.

Stories that were part of series were Fearless Fourteen, Finger Lickin Fifteen, (Stephanie Plum Series), Susannah’s Garden (Blossom Street Series), Catching Fire (Hunger Games Series), The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials Series), Black Ice (Harry Bosch Series)and the Reptile Room (Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events).

I always wanted to read the Lemony Snicket books but never got around to it so I finally started the series with The Bad Beginning ( A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1)

About the book:

Dear Listener,

Lemony Snicket

I loved this book and it was especially a great listening experience being read by
Tim Curry. This will likely be a series that I will read quickly as I’ll either do the audio books or will read the paper copies.. just the right size to carry around as a purse book. It’s got that fantasy feel and colorful characters. Just reading the product description gives you a feel for the writing style.

Rating 4/5

I just finished Book 3 in the Mortal Instruments Trilogy, City of Glass by Cassandra Clare.

About the book

To save her mother’s life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters — never mind that enter-ing the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family’s past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he’s willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City — whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the final installment of the New York Times bestselling trilogy The Mortal Instruments.

My thoughts: I started the book and got into it right away but needed to return it to the library before I was finished because it was overdue and there were other hold books that came in and I couldn’t check them out until I returned it. I immediately put it back on hold and when it came in I read it in two days.. couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed this one most of all and liked the way it all came together at the end. I’m glad to see that there will be a Prequel series, Infernal Devices starting and will get  Clockwork Angel as soon as it comes out. This was one of my favorite books so far this year.

Rating 5/5

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Always a lover of good children’s literature/ YA literature, I make it a point to read the Newbery Medal winners when they come out (and catch up on some of the old ones as well. This year’s winner was When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.

About the book: Four mysterious letters change Miranda’s world forever. By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner. But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper: I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own. I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter. The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this story very much and read it in one day. I kept feeling like Miranda was older than 12 and I think that even older teens would identify with her and like the book. I loved  the way all of the elements came together at the end and  didn’t want to put it down. I loved the Wrinkle in Time references and the $20,000 pyramid references as well. It was a fantasy story but very close to realistic fiction.

Rating 4.5/5

Just finished another fun book, The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen.

About the book: Josey Cirinni is sure of three things: winter is her favorite season, she’s a sorry excuse for a Southern belle, and her passion for the man she loves is best kept a secret, even from him. Josey has grudgingly settled into an uneventful life in her mother’s house, but her one consolation is the secret stockpile of sugary treats and paperback romances she keeps in her closet. One morning, she opens her closet for a sweet, but finds Della Lee Baker hiding there instead. Della Lee is a local waitress on the run who is one part nemesis—and two parts fairy godmother. Under Della Lee’s guidance, Josey is soon living in a world where the color red has startling powers, and passion is so real it can make eggs fry in their cartons. And that’s just for starters.

My thoughts: I loved this book  just like I loved Garden Spells. There’s something about her writing and her characters that makes me yearn for sequels.  Allen’s writing has just the right mix of the supernatural to make the story fantasy but the characters are identifiable and real.  I’ve still got The Girl Who Chased the Moon to go and I hope she gets writing quick because I’ll be anxious for more, more, more!

Rating 4.5/5

Counts towards: Library Challenge, 100 Book Challenge,

I love to read children’s  literature, especially Newbery Award winners and just finished The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

About the book: After Bod’s family is murdered, he seeks refuge in a graveyard, is adopted by its inhabitants, and taught about life through the eyes of the dead. Soon Bod finds out that sometimes the world on the outside of a graveyard can be a terrifying place, and that it takes more than just a couple of good-hearted souls to raise a child—it takes a graveyard.

My thoughts: I didn’t know anything about the book but always make it a point to read the Newbery Medal winners. I LOVED the fact that I read it via audio book and it was read by the author. The accent was perfect and it was very enjoyable. I hated to see it end and would love a sequel someday… This medal winner doesn’t disappoint.

Rating 4.5/5

Counts towards: Library Challenge, 100 Book Challenge, Audio Book Challenge,

I finally finished the second book in the Mortal Instruments series, City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare. It’s  not that the book wasn’t good, I was just very busy this month and didn’t have much time to read paper books.

About the book: A murderer is looks in New York City and the victims are Downworlder children.  Clary Fran and her fellow Shadowhunters have a strong suspicion that Valentine, Clary’s father may be behind the killings. But if he is the murderer, then what’s his true motive?

My thoughts:  While it took me awhile to carve out a chunk of time to actually sit down and read this book, I managed to read 3/4 of it in one afternoon to finish it.  I like the fantasy genre and while it is a Teen book, there are a couple of mature situations in it.  The author did not play it safe and I think it added to the book and makes me really want to read the 3rd one, City of Glass,  to see how things will play out. Are things not really what they seem?

Counts towards: Library Challenge, 100 Book Challenge, Finish that Series Challenge,

Starting a new fantasy YA series beginning with City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

About the book: Fifteen-year-old Clary Fray is looking forward to having a good time with her friend Simon as the Pandemonium Club in New York City. But what she witnesses through the dazzling lights and pulsing beats will change her life forever.

While dancing, Clary’s eyes fix on a beautiful woman in an elegant white dress luring a young man into a private area of the club. Following them, Clary sees two strange, knife-wielding men brutally kill him. And when the victim vanishes into thin air, she is shocked. Intrigued by these mysterious beings, Clary begins a journey that draws her into a world filled with vampires, werewolves and the Shadowhunters–a group of warriors attempting to eradicate the legions of the evil demons infesting the world.

My new audio book is The Host by Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight Series. I’m just about to start it and I’m not sure if I’ll be as hooked as I was on Twilight but we’ll see. I have lots of yard work ahead of me and audio books fit the bill.

The Host (from her website)
Stephenie Meyer. Little, Brown, $25.99 (640p) ISBN 978-0-316-06804-8 In this tantalizing SF thriller, planet-hopping parasites are inserting their silvery centipede selves into human brains, curing cancer, eliminating war and turning Earth into paradise. But some people want Earth back, warts and all, especially Melanie Stryder, who refuses to surrender, even after being captured in Chicago and becoming a host for a “soul” called Wanderer. The straightforward narrative… shines with romantic intrigue.

I enjoy reading children’s literature and Lois Lowry is one of the best. I spotted Gossamer in the e-book section of my library website so I downloaded down this short one as a filler. I headed out to the library tonight and grabbed some new audio books but it’s nice to have the electronic downloads as well.

About the book:

Littlest One is a delicate, invisible spirit who is in training to be a dream-giver, learning to blend fragments of happy memories with fragile details of daily life for people as they sleep. She helps a tormented foster child at night, bestowing healing memories in his dreams.