The Glass Castle

This memoir by Jeannette Walls certainly isn't new. The copyright date is 2005. It is one of those books that I've been meaning to read for a long time. I started it last night about 7:30 and read until after midnight. I couldn't put it down.

Jeannette had a childhood unlike mine. She and her family traveled across the United States --- from the deserts of Arizona and Nevada to the mountains of West Virginia. When her dad, Rex, was sober he was a fascinating man -- a great father and teacher. But more often than not, he was drunk and out of work. Mom, Rose Mary, was an eccentric artist. She homeschooled the 4 kids.....but was really most interested in her art.

From the beginning of the book when Jeannette recounts an event when she was 3 years old, I was hooked. She was boiling hotdogs on the stove of their camper/home and she was terribly burned. The dysfunction of the family escalates....no food, terrible living conditions.....yet the kids persevered. You have to read the book!!

The Vow

I know many of you are eagerly waiting for the movie, The Vow, starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum. Here is the book that inspired the true events.

Kim and Krickitt Carpenter were married in September, 1993. Two months later on Thanksgiving weekend, a terrible car accident left both fighting for their lives. Krickett was in worse shape. A massive head injury kept her in a coma for weeks. When she finally woke up she had no idea who her husband was.

It is a tear-jerker.........

Chemical Garden Trilogy by Lauren DeStefano

Fever - Book 2 - is here!!

Book 1 ended as Rhine and Gabriel escaped the mansion. Now their story continues.

Rhine is as determined as ever to reach Manhattan and find her twin brother, but many obstacles are in the way. They are taken captive by Madame, an old woman who captures girls and sells them. Vaughn, Rhine's father-in-law, has an uncanny way of finding Rhine.

The book certainly does not resolve anything.........but you are left wondering whether Rhine will survive Vaughn's most recent experiment.

Coming Soon........

Have you noticed the Hunger Games window outside the library? Thanks to Katie for all the creative touches!!

We have several new "Hunger Games" themed books for overnight checkout. Are you hungry? Check out the Hunger Games Cookbook. In the Hunger Games Movie Companion you can see the fashions in the Capitol. Effie really does have bright pink hair. We even have a parody, Hunger Pains, for checkout.

The trivia contest is coming soon. Listen to announcements for more details. You can win movie tickets and posters.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Did you see the movie or read the book, Seabiscuit? Laura Hillenbrand is the author of that book as well.
Unbroken is a true World War II story. Louis Zamperini was a teammate of Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics in Munich, Germany. He was a superb runner and was thought to be the first person who would break the 4 minute mile mark. His running career was cut short by the war.
Louis left college in California to become a member of the U.S. Army Air Force. He was sent to a base on the Hawaiian Islands and became a gunner on a B-24 bomber. His plane was shot down. Louis was one of three men who survived the water crash into the Pacific Ocean. As he and 2 crewmates floated for over 47 days they became living skeletons. One man died. Finally, an island loomed. Unfortunately it was Japanese occupied. Louis was captured. For several years he was a Prisoner of War, traveling to several camps.

The Japanese were brutal in their treatment of POW's. I find it hard to believe Louis survived, but he did. Starvation, torture.....it was all in the realm of the Japanese mistreatment of soldiers. It really is an incredible story of survival and one that will stick with me a long time.

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25

I loved this new book by Richard Paul Evans. As I read his bio on the inside back cover I found it interesting that he also wrote The Christmas Box. The two books are nothing alike!

Michael Vey is the main character. Fourteen years ago he was born in a Pasadena Hospital as were many other children. Mysteriously many of the babies died, but seventeen survived with special powers. Michaelhas an electric power. He can "surge" electricity from his body. The "doctors" in charge of the research project have hunted down all these kids. They want to harness their power to control the world.

Evil prevails. Michael's mom is kidnapped to lure him to the facility. A showdown between the kids and "Hatch" prevails. The books leaves you hanging. I guess I'll have to wait for the sequel to see what will happen:(

You Against Me by Jenny Downham

Did you read the book, Before I Die? Jenny Downham is also the author of that book.

Mikey's younger sister, Karyn, claims to have been raped by Ellie's older brother, Tom. Mikey and Ellie meet....Mikey for the purpose of getting revenge for his sister. Neither of them intended to start a relationship with each other, but that is exactly what happens. It's complicated. Adding to the confusion Ellie supplies a written statement to the police stating that her brother didn't do anything wrong. It's definitely "he said/she said".

In some ways the book reminded me of Romeo and Juliet. Ellie is from a wealthy family and Mikey's family struggles to make ends meet. Read the book and see the outcome.

Trapped by Michael Northrop

The cover of this book reminds me of what January in Wisconsin should look like. Tattawa High School is pictured amid falling flakes of snow and huge drifts. This January looks more like November --- no snow here.

The day the blizzard started school was released early. After school events were canceled. Somehow seven kids ended up left at school. Pete and Jason were going to work on a shop project. Others were waiting for rides that never came. A teacher went for help and never returns. Cell phones stop working. Slowly the students realize they are going to spend the night in school.

No one ever expected the blizzard to last a week. The power goes out, there is no heat and they have to scavenge for food in the school cafeteria. The weight of the snow collapses part of the roof. Read the book and see what happens to Scotty and the rest of the kids.

Vacation Reading!

Wow.....I did lots and lots of reading over break.....now to get busy and write about it!

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio is a true story written by Terry Ryan about her mother. I find it interesting that the subtitle is: How my mother raised 10 kids on 25 words or less.

Terry, the author, really did grow up with 9 other brothers and sisters! She lived in the average size town of Defiance during the 1950's and 1960's. Her father was an alcoholic who never brought home much of a paycheck that he didn't drink up first. The only way that mom could feed everyone was by using her gift of writing. Mom, Evelyn, entered all kinds of "jingle-writing" contests to try and her money or prizes to keep her family fed and clothed. And.....she was very successful. I chuckled when I read the chapter where Evelyn won a 10 minute shopping spree in a grocery store. I laughed at the idea of her "prize closet". Evelyn has a positive spirit that is hard to put down.

In 2005 this memoir was adapted into a movie.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Funny, funny stuff. Enough said. You'll have a good chuckle and NEVER look at "beauty pagents" the same again.

Bedbugs

Did the title grab your attention? This is a new book by Ben Winters.

Susan and Alex have found their dream apartment in Brooklyn. Along with their toddler, Emma, they move in and life is good. At least it is good until Susan discovers a small bite on her wrist. Is it a bite from a bedbug or a spider?

Susan becomes more and more obsessed with bedbugs. She itches the bites until they become sores. Neither Emma nor Alex seems to be affected. An exterminator doesn't find any evidence of the bugs. What is biting Susan? You'll have to read this creepy book and find out!

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

This is a new "Adult for Young Adult" book which was recommended by Miss Carwardine.

Annie O'Sullivan has been kidnapped. She is held for over a year in an isolated mountain cabin. During that time her captor abuses her physically and emotionally. He holds her to strange rituals....for example, she can only use the bathroom at certain times of the day. Annie fights daily for her survival. It is heart-breaking.

The story is told through Annie's sessions with a psychiatrist. Read the book and find out how she escapes and tries to put her life back together.

Lots and lots of new books

New books continue to come in! It's my favorite time of the year!!

Are you looking for the final book in the Maze Runner trilogy by James Dashner? How about Passion, the newest Lauren Kate book in the Fallen series? Goliath, the final book in the Leviathan Trilogy is here as well!

Follow the following link to see all the new materials. Go to Destiny. Click on Catalog. Click the tab across the top, Copy Categories. Click the link for New Books Fall 2011 for all 393 titles!

Happy Reading!

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

A new zombie book!!!!

It sounds funny to say, but I really enjoy reading books about the zombie apocalypse.

Everyone over the age of 16 is dead. The "grown-ups" wander the streets looking for children to eat. Yikes!!!

This first book in the series follows a group of children as they try to survive in London. After hearing that another group of children have made their home in Buckingham Palace, the group tries to make their way there. Unfortunately, it isn't what they hoped it would be.

It's a bit gory in spots, but it wouldn't be a zombie book if it wasn't☻

Room by Emma Donoghue

Our new OWHS Book Club is reading Room. It was on my summer reading list and I never got to it....finally I finished this heartbreaking, but hopeful book.

I couldn't help but make comparisons between my 7 year-old son and the narrator, 5 year-old Jack. Jack has been born in Room and has never left it. Ma was kidnapped 7 years ago by a sexual predator. Both she and Jack have been held in Room. Can you imagine never leaving a Room for 7 years? It is the only world Jack knows.

Ma is determined to escape and with Jack's help it does happen. Read the book to understand the transition that Jack and Ma need to make back to the outside world. Book Club will be discussing this book on Monday, October 31. Meetings will be held before school, during lunch hour and after school. It really is one of those books that you want to talk over with a friend.

Illegal by Bettina Restrepo

The author examines the plight of the illegal immigrant. She has firsthand knowledge of the challenges that immigrants face -- her mother and father came to the United States from Colombia and Germany.

Nora's father left behind family in Mexico years ago. He has always sent money to support Nora, mom and grandma. Suddenly though, letters stop arriving. The bank doesn't receive any more deposits. Nora and her mom risk their lives in a desperate trip across the border. Once they arrive in Texas they begin looking for dad.

Living in Wisconsin I don't give much thought to the challenges that face illegal immigrants. If I lived in Texas or Arizona I would pay much more attention to the topic. Nora experiences things no teenager should have to.....imagine being in a country without much money, nowhere to live and a language you don't understand. Nora has the strength to survive.....but how many more "Nora's" are out there?

Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger

Parrotfish are a unique fish. Almost all species start as females and then change to males. In the book Parrotfish, Angela feels as though she is a boy. Ever since she was young she has been a tomboy. Now that she is 17 she honestly feels as though she was born the wrong gender.

Angela is transgendered. I never really understood the conflicted feelings of a person with these circumstances. The book raises a good question, "What happens when we don't fit into a "neat" predetermined category?

Angela asks her family and classmates to call her "Grady". She starts dressing in a masculine fashion.....and it is tough. Grady has to deal with bullies and humiliation. Read the book and understand what it means to be transgendered.

Nobel Genes by Rune Michaels

The first line of this new book is, "I'm a donor baby." Donor as in the narrator's father was a sperm donor. The only thing the boy has been told by his mother is that his father was a Nobel Prize winner. Consequently there is a great amount of pressure on the narrator (he isn't named). What kind of intelligence did his father have? Was his biological father a winner in the science area, the creative arts? So far, to his mother's dismay, the narrator is only of average intelligence.

It becomes very clear that mom is mentally unstable. Several episodes of drug overdoses have sent her to the hospital. The first hand look at what mental illness does to a family is heartbreaking. Also heartbreaking is the narrator's search for the truth about his dad. Read the book to find out about his missing family.

Soulless

Last year I was on quite a streak of zombie books. I hadn't read one in awhile. I brought Souless by Christopher Golden home for the summer and finally picked it up. I remember the review said it was a great zombie thriller. They were exactly right -- I couldn't put it down.

The zombie apocalypse starts in New York City. Three mediums are broadcasting a live seance on morning television. They fall into a trance - it can't be broken.....and everything changes.

It starts out slowly. The dead crawl out of their graves. They are "empty" and need at first to find family and friends. Obviously this escalates. Do you want to read a creepy horror book? Do you like the television program, The Walking Dead? If so, you'll certainly want to read this book.

The Help

I finally made a point to read The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I put it off because so many people were reading it....the the long, lonely roads of Nebraska allowed me to finish it! My thoughts - great book! I really enjoyed reading it. Can't wait to see the movie.