I've decided that chronicling my month's reading choices in a LIFO manner (this is about all I remember from my Accounting classes during my brief stint as a Business major in college: Last In, First Out and First In, First Out) was a bad flow, organically. It doesn't really show how one book leads to the next, which is really most of what I find interesting. Thus, the rahniREADS posts will hereby, in the future, be conducted in a FIFO manner. Whew! Now that the groundbreaking, life-altering news has been taken care of, I shall proceed to wax not-really-at-all poetic about my eyes' travels this month.Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (Fablehaven #4) - Brandon Mull***1/2
~Sphinx's power grows, Knights keep fighting~
Read this one about a week after it came out - another success in a fun series! Seth is growing up, but still a mischievous scamp. I think it took them a bit too long to find out Kendra's secret, but, whatever. Good times. I still like Percy Jackson and the Olympians more than this series, but on the upside, it's nice to have so many good series to grapple for my attention. (Fiction, Young Reader, fantasy mixed with modern day real world)
Long Lost (Myron Bolitar #9) - Harlan Coben***
~Ten years later, still loving Yoohoo~
So happy to have Myron back! Chandra and I read about 9 of Coben's books the first time we discovered him. I enjoy his stand-alones, but I really grew to the love the good-hearted sports rep and his psychotic blue blood friend. However, I wished for a little bit more from this book. I think this book is written to remind everyone of who Myron is, but I didn't need reminding--came across as rather repetitive, and like Myron hadn't moved on a whole lot in the years since we'd left him. (Mystery, modern day)
Tilt: A Skewed History of the Tower of Pisa - Nicholas Shrady***
~Mistake or miracle? Good tourism, either~
I learned a lot, but was constantly bombarded with the thought that I would have vastly preferred it as a lengthy National Geographic article--not necessarily a full-length book on the topic. Probably because I had relegated it to being a bathtub read, which--upon retrospect--it SO was not. Perhaps I wasn't in the correct mindset for a history lesson, having just come off a quick and action-packed mystery. (Nonfiction, history, Italy)
The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman*****
~Boy, stalked, grows up with friendly ghosts~
LOVED this book! The first chapter is a little unnerving, but just keep going and you'll find you're reading something absolutely not-to-be-missed. The Newberry committee really chose a good one this year! Last year? Whenever. Also, my brother-in-law highly recommends the audio version, as Neil Gaiman himself if reading it, British accent and all! (Young Reader fiction, Newberry Award winner, set in Britain)
Marley and Me - John Grogan****
~World's worst dog? Man's best story.~
Book Club book for April, a reread for me. This book dominated the bestsellers list for months, much to my puzzlement. Isn't it just a book about a dog? I wondered. "Skip chapter 27 unless you want to cry," my B&N co-worker, Andrea J., warned me. Not really planning on reading this trendy book, I didn't give that comment much thought. It's a book about a dog, right? I was warned, right? I should NOT have been surprised when Marley died, but I found myself totally unprepared! I mean, I started getting apprehensive during Chapters 25 and 26, what with Grogan's descriptions of Marley calming down and all, but still! Call me Choked Up. All three times I've read this book. When I saw this movie in the theaters, the entire audience seemed to be sniffling at the end. I leaned over to my niece, Kaeli, and whispered, "See, this is why people don't buy frogs." Not just a book of "tales" of doggy misbehavior, Marley and Me chronicles a family's growing up, comments on the nation and current events, and is really just a book that appeals to every kind of reader. Even those without dogs. (Nonfiction, memoir, dogs)
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins****
~Teen Area Reps battle 'til death~
I galloped through this engaging tale despite being specifically directed NOT to read this book. The warning came from my fellow Book Club member, Kick, and I can see where she was coming from. She wasn't trying to keep a good read under wraps, it's just that she had picked this book as her Book Club pick for us all to read. In July. But really, how did she expect me to help myself? There I am, half-hour lunch at B&N, nothing to read. Really, how could I not pick it up? She gave it a glowing recommendation so, really, this is just props to her powers of persuasiveness! Imagine my annoyance with her, however, when I discovered that book two (and there clearly IS a book two from the way this book ended) doesn't come out until September? (Fiction, teen, post-apocalyptic fantasy)
Gregor the Overlander (Underland Chronicles #1) - Suzanne Collins
~Gregor discovers warring peoples, helps Underlanders~
It sounds like a backhanded compliment, but one thing I love so much about Gregor is that he's so reasonable. Loyal, determined, practical, but sometimes reckless--a great main character. This series has plenty of action, drama and humor to keep you entertained for the duration. After reading The Hunger Games, I was eager to find more books from Suzanne Collins. Initially, I was apprehensive--at least I found The Hunger Games in the Teen section. Now, I was regressing to the Juniors department. I started this series on a Friday, and finished up Book 5 Sunday morning, overwhelmed by the particular feeling of loss that comes from finishing a thoroughly pleasurable and engrossing book . . . (Fiction, Young Reader, fantasy mixed with modern day real world)
Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane (Underland Chronicles #2) - Suzanne Collins
Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods (Underland Chronicles #3) - Suzanne Collins
Gregor and Marks of Secret (Underland Chronicles #4) - Suzanne Collins
Gregor and the Code of Claw (Underland Series #5) - Suzanne Collins
A Three Dog Life - Abigail Thomas****
~Husband suffers brain trauma, wife chronicles~
. . . and so, appropriately, I turned to a book that deals with many losses. Loss of a dependable memory due to injury, loss of an expected life path, loss of partnership. But also, a book about gains. Gains of independence, broader boundaries, new opportunities. I found myself exactly in the mood to read the lyrical montages of memory that she relates of her time (pre- and post-accident) of her life with her husband. My sister, however, was not in a mood for such a book when she read it. Make sure you are ready--give it a chance! (Nonfiction, memoir)
Pants on Fire - Meg Cabot**1/2
~Teen juggles boyfriends, none Prince Charming~
A choice motivated by the fact that I didn't bring a book to work and had nothing to read on my break, and just wanted a quick, easy, light story. I had a hard time feeling much kinship with the main character--mostly due to the fact that she's cheating on her boyfriend (who she doesn't love) with another fellow who's not worth much. Seems like she shouldn't really deserve the awesome guy who inevitably shows up partway through the book. (Fiction, teen, fluff)
***** READ IT RIGHT NOW!
*** Would definitely pass it on to others--highly recommended
*** Better than most
** If you're stuck on a deserted island and cloud-watching isn't your thing
* BURN in a fire if you're stuck on a deserted island (even if it's a hot, tropical island)
