Summer Break Reading Challenge Activity #4

Activity #4 is to explore the internet and find things on other blogs. This has been my favorite activity so far. I've discovered 2 blogs I like and am adding to my Google Reader and learned Stephen has a new book coming out-yay!


1. A blog that is new to you that focuses on the same type of literature you do (ex: I read YA so the blog would need to focus on YA).

YA Bliss
I love the header for her blog!

2. A book that is new to you that another blogger reviewed.
A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler- Book Review (Book Smugglers)

3. A book set in Africa (in your preferred age category, if possible).
Little Bee by Chris Cleave: Book Review

4. A book about a human/animal bond (in your preferred age category, if
possible).
Listen by Stephanie Tolan

5. A book trailer for a book you want to read.
Saving CeeCee Honeycut

6. A book with a color in the title (in your preferred age category, if possible).
Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

7. A blog that is new to you that is dedicated to a certain genre (ex: only books about vampires, only historical fiction, only urban fantasy, etc.)

The League of Extraordinary Writers- Dystopian

8. A book blog maintained by a librarian.
Carrie's YA Bookshelf

9. A book blog maintained by a teacher.
DeRaps Reads

10. The title of an upcoming book by an author you like (provide details - title, release date, synopsis).
Full Dark No Stars (short story collection) by Stephen King, November 9, 2010 From the Stephen King web site:

1922
The story opens with the confession of Wilfred James to the murder of his wife, Arlette, following their move to Hemingford, Nebraska onto land willed to Arlette by her father.

Big Driver
Mystery writer, Tess, has been supplementing her writing income for years by doing speaking engagements with no problems. But following a last-minute invitation to a book club 60 miles away, she takes a shortcut home with dire consequences.

Fair Extension
Harry Streeter, who is suffering from cancer, decides to make a deal with the devil but, as always, there is a price to pay.

A Good Marriage
Darcy Anderson learns more about her husband of over twenty years than she would have liked to know when she stumbles literally upon a box under a worktable in their garage.

Book Review: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
(web site)
Genre: Women's fiction
Publisher: Random House
269 pages

From Goodreads:

In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, “old same,” in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she’s painted a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on fans, compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together, they endure the agony of foot-binding, and reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.

I discovered this book on another book blog and knew I had to read it when I learned it depicted the tradition of foot binding. My previous concept of foot binding didn't even come close to the actual process....it is brutal. As you delve deeper into the story, you learn how critical this tradition is to the young girl's chances for a proper marriage. Marriage was for practical reasons and rarely resulted in emotional satisfaction. A laotong match would provide deep-heart love, something that would be lacking in Lily and Snow Flower's other relationships. This was a fascinating read about Chinese culture. It's very difficult to wrap your head around sometimes. If you've ever read an Amy Tan novel and enjoyed it I think you would like this one too. Due to the adult themes I wouldn't recommend this book for a middle schooler but think it would be appropriate for high school age. If you are interested in learning more about foot binding (as I was) I found a book blog with a review of this book in addition to photos of foot binding. Beware...the images may be disturbing to some so view at your own discretion. Lisa See has another book of interest to me, Shanghai Girls, that I'm adding to my TBR pile.

Summer Break Reading Challenge Activity #2

This was a really fun activity. The directions were to make a Wordle from your favorite book or series -full directions can be found here. I chose the series, The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan...my favorite! I used the color palette from The-Dead Tossed Waves cover.


If you're into zombie gore with a little romance on the side, this is the series for you. Carrie's third book The Dark and Hollow Places will be released in the spring of 2011.

Summer Break Reading Challenge Activity #1

Karin's first activity is to post about your summer reading goals.

My first goal is to finish up the Audio Book Reading Challenge. I only have three books left and I will have reached my goal. I just downloaded Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I've been wanting to read this book for awhile.







My next goal is to read for the Dystopian Challenge. Since it ends soon I don't think I will reach my goal however I still want to participate since this is my favorite genre. The books I've chosen so far are Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins and The Passage by Justin Cronin. The Passage is a whopping 766 pages so that one will take me awhile:-)





And finally...I joined the Read, Remember, and Recommend Teen Challenge . After purchasing the reading journal I've chosen a few books to read. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Because I am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas. I've always planned to Read To Kill a Mockingbird so this is a must this summer and Because I am Furniture was recommended as a Child Called It read-alike in the reading journal.

Of course I have more books to read than the above titles but these are my "must reads".

The prize for this challenge is Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver


Be sure to add your post to Mr. Linky!

Summer Break Reading Challenge

I'm so excited that Karin is hosting a new challenge on her blog! If you haven't participated before now is the time. There are great prizes and lots of fun. Here are the details:

1. The Challenge will start today (June 23, 2010) and end toward the end of August.

2. You DO NOT have to participate in every activity - just pick and choose what you want to do.

3. Some activities will have a specific prize attached to them, but some you will be able to choose what you want from a list of available books.

4. Activity due dates will be listed in each post.

Any questions, feel free to email Karin at karinlibrarian@gmail.com.

Don't pity a shelter dog...adopt one!

Two years ago March 1st we lost our beautiful boxer boy, Ollie, to cancer. Last December after receiving a phone call from our local vet that there was a boxer in need of a home, we adopted Harley. Harley is an 11 year old heart of gold and we feel so grateful to have him in our lives. Whenever I see the Pedigree commercial about adopting a shelter dog I get a huge lump in my throat just thinking about the three months Harley spent in shelters waiting for someone to give him a chance. If you've ever thought about opening your home up to a guy like Harley, be sure to visit Pedigree's Dog Adoption Drive web site for information.

That's How I Blog Internet Radio

I just discovered That's How I Blog Internet Radio and I absolutely love it! Check this out if you would like to learn more about your favorite bloggers and to discover new bloggers. This week's show features Michelle from My Books. My Life. I wanted to listen to the shows on my Ipod so here's how I do it;

• Underneath the program you wish to download, there is a download link-click on it


• Save it to your music folder and you might want to change the name (it will say something like show_1084679) so you will remember which show you downloaded


• Open Itunes and go to file-->Add file to library (it may put it into the unknown genre)


• Highlight the file you just imported and type ctrl and i, this will bring up a window


• Go to options and check remember playback position and skip when shuffling. This will enable you to pick up where you left off if you have to stop listening
  


• If you would like the logo for That's How I Blog then right click-->save the image from the site, then go to art work (ctrl & i again) and add the image. Now it will show up on your Ipod


• If you download several shows to load onto your Ipod, make a smart playlist then as you finish each show it will disappear from your Ipod

That's the best way I know how to set this up. If anyone has any other tips, feel free to comment on this post!

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

From Goodreads:

Full of dark seduction and modern romance, this short story collection presents a variety of talented voices sure to satisfy every werewolf, ghost, fallen angel, zombie, and shape-shifter’s dark desires.

I absolutely cannot wait for this book! Carrie Ryan has a short story about a teenage Sister Tabitha from The Forest of Hands and Teeth series. Other popular authors include: Becca Fitzpatrick, Maggie Stiefvater, and Diana Peterfreund. This book is due out July 27, 2010.

What's your "waiting on" pick this week?

Want to participate? Grab the logo, post your own WoW entry on your blog, and leave your link here!

Book Trailer

After reading Dirty Little Secrets and Stuff, I decided to post this fantastic book trailer. This was made by fan Naomi Bates and was posted on C.J Omololu's web site.

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a fun meme hosted at The Story Siren where we share what books we received this week.

From the library I received Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.

From Goodreads:

In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, “old same,” in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she’s painted a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on fans, compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together, they endure the agony of foot-binding, and reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.

I have really enjoyed many Amy Tan books so this one was right up my alley. I'm curious about the foot binding tradition though I understand it's quite graphic and painful. I can't even imagine...

Read, Remember, Recommend Teen Challenge

Bibliobabe is hosting the Read, Remember, Recommend Teen Reading Challenge to celebrate the April 1st release of her new book.

Here are the details:

* Check out all the amazing books (thousands!) mentioned in Read, Remember, Recommend for Teens and plan your attack. Books do not need to be decided upon in advance. All books must be mentioned in the journal lists.
* Write a challenge sign-up post on your blog. In that post provide a link to the Read, Remember, Recommend Teen Reading Challenge post. Please feel free to use the Read, Remember, Recommend Teen Reading Challenge button in your post. If you do not have a blog, introduce yourself in a comment below.
* Add your name and the direct link to the sign-up post in the Mister Linky list below.
* Each time you read and review a book as part of this challenge, share this with other challenge participants by adding a direct link to your book review to the list in a comment at this post. If you do not have a blog, leave your review as a comment.

Rules:

* Read as many books from the Read, Remember, Recommend for Teens reading journal as you can in one year. Books read before April 1st, 2010 do not count. Overlaps with other challenges (including the Read, Remember, Recommend Fiction Reading Challenge) are acceptable – and encouraged!
* Rereading doesn’t count – have fun exploring new authors, awards and books!
* Audio, print, and e-books are all acceptable.
* Post your review or link to your review in a comment below.
* You can change your commitment level at anytime.

Levels:

* NE2N – Not Even to Newbery – 5 books
* CYA – Covering Your Assigments – 10 books
* LOL – Literature Over Love – 20 books
* BFF – Book Fiend Forever – 30 books

The Grand prize is an e-reader of your choice! Check out the other awesome prizes at bibliobabe.com. This challenge runs from April 1st 2010-April 1st 2011

I'm choosing BFF-Book Friend Forever-30 books

1. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
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25.
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27.
28.
29.
30.

Review: Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things

Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things by Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee
Genre: Non-fiction
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, April 20, 2010
304 pages

From Goodreads:

What possesses someone to save every scrap of paper that’s ever come into his home? What compulsions drive a woman like Irene, whose hoarding cost her her marriage? Or Ralph, whose imagined uses for castoff items like leaky old buckets almost lost him his house? Or Jerry and Alvin, wealthy twin bachelors who filled up matching luxury apartments with countless pieces of fine art, not even leaving themselves room to sleep? Randy Frost and Gail Steketee were the first to study hoarding when they began their work a decade ago; they expected to find a few sufferers but ended up treating hundreds of patients and fielding thousands of calls from the families of others. Now they explore the compulsion through a series of compelling case studies in the vein of Oliver Sacks.With vivid portraits that show us the traits by which you can identify a hoarder—piles on sofas and beds that make the furniture useless, houses that can be navigated only by following small paths called goat trails, vast piles of paper that the hoarders “churn” but never discard, even collections of animals and garbage—Frost and Steketee explain the causes and outline the often ineffective treatments for the disorder.They also illuminate the pull that possessions exert on all of us. Whether we’re savers, collectors, or compulsive cleaners, none of us is free of the impulses that drive hoarders to the extremes in which they live. For the six million sufferers, their relatives and friends, and all the rest of us with complicated relationships to our things, Stuff answers the question of what happens when our stuff starts to own us.

After reading Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu I wanted to read more on this strange but interesting disorder. Of most interest to me was the relationship of compulsive shopping and compulsive hoarding. Many sufferers of hoarding have gone deep into debt by buying "stuff" that literally fills their homes up...to the point of the home becoming uninhabitable. In Dirty Little Secrets, Lucy's mom buys an expensive mixer she isn't even able to use because her kitchen is packed with garbage. This is true for most hoarders. The books has chapters on animal hoarding, hoarding in children, and children of hoarders. OCD is also a common affliction omong hoarders. In one case study, Amy refuses to touch any doorknobs for fear of contamination. Another study, a boy refuses to use his birthday gifts because they are too special and by using them he will diminish their importance of his special day. After awhile the information became a little redundant and I found myself skipping parts to get to the end. If you know of someone who suffers from this disorder there is a great website with information and resources, Children of Compulsive Hoarders.

Dystopian Challange

I think I was a little too ambitious when I chose level 3- 20 books for this challenge. There is no way I would be able to read 20 book in that time frame. I ended up choosing level 1, five books.

First on my list is The Passage by Justin Cronin. From Goodreads:

“It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born.”

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey—spanning miles and decades—towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.

With The Passage, award-winning author Justin Cronin has written both a relentlessly suspenseful adventure and an epic chronicle of human endurance in the face of unprecedented catastrophe and unimaginable danger. Its inventive storytelling, masterful prose, and depth of human insight mark it as a crucial and transcendent work of modern fiction.

This one is gonna take me awhile with 784 pages!

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a fun meme hosted at The Story Siren where we share what books we received this week.

This week I requested a book from the library:

A compelling, at times horrifying work that is impossible to put down, House Rules will stand beside Running With Scissors and The Glass Castle as a memoir that cracks open the shell of a desperately dysfunctional family with impressive grace and humour.
Rachel Sontag grew up the daughter of a well-liked doctor in an upper middle class suburb of Chicago. The view from outside couldn't have been more perfect. But within the walls of the family home, Rachel's life was controlled and indeed terrorized by her father's serious depression. In prose that is both precise and rich, Rachel's childhood experience unfolds in a chronological recounting that shows how her father became more and more disturbed as Rachel grew up.
A visceral and wrenching exploration of the impact of a damaged psyche on those nearest to him, House Rules will keep you reading even when you most wish you could look away. (from Goodreads)

I also received from Amazon: Read, Remember, Recommend for Teens: A Reading Journal for Book Lovers

What was in your mailbox this week?

Dystopian Challenge 2010

I love to read dystopian fiction and have decided to join this awesome challenge. If you would like to read more about what makes dystopian fiction read this post at Parajunkee's View!

Here are the rules:

1. Open to everyone (if you do not have a blog, just state in the comments section that you read the book and on what date)
   
2. Any book format - Wiki list of dystopian lit
   
3. Books can be chosen throughout the year, but must have been read within the timeline. Just because your read Fahrenheit 451 in 7th grade doesn't mean it counts.
   
4. Sign-up below with Mr. Linky
5. Post your reviews in the comments area
   
6. Three Levels:

• Level 1 - Experimental - 5 books
• Level 2 - Addict - 10 books
• Level 3 - Junkee - 20 books

Level 3 participants will get a dystopian button with their blog or name on it and entry into a contest to win The Hunger Games: Book 3.
Timeline: Jan. 1, 2010-Aug. 24, 2010

I'm going to choose level 1- Experimental-5 books

1. The Passage by Justin Cronin
2.
3.
4.
5.

Review: The Dead-Tossed Waves

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan (website)
Genre: Young adult, post apocalyptic, horror
Publisher: Delacorte, March 2010
407 pages

From Goodreads:

Gabry lives a quiet life, secure in her town next to the sea and behind the Barrier. She's content to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. Home is all she's ever known and, and all she needs for happiness.

But life after the Return is never safe and there are threats even the Barrier can't hold back.

Gabry's mother thought she left her secrets behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, but, like the dead in their world, secrets don't stay buried. And now, Gabry's world is crumbling.

One night beyond the Barrier . . .
One boy Gabry's known forever and one veiled in mystery . . .
One reckless moment, and half of Gabry's generation is dead, the other half imprisoned.

Now Gabry knows only one thing: if she has any hope of a future, she must face the forest of her mother's past.

After reading Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth I became hooked on zombie literature. I already loved to read post apocalyptic novels...my favorites being The Stand by Stephen King and Swan Song by Robert McCammon. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second book by Carrie and I didn't have to wait too long. I won a contest at Karin's Book Nook and received the ARC. This book didn't disappoint! I had so many questions from the first book which were answered in this one (namely why the heck was Gabrielle so darn fast). Still...some questions were left unanswered and that is why I am eagerly anticipating her third book. As I recommended this book to a friend I felt it my duty to explain that this book had, what I thought, was a very disturbing scene... the Soulers. For those of you who read it, you know what I mean. I still get the shivers when I think about it. This is what set this book apart from other zombie novels I've read, it makes you think and it isn't the usual fare for a zombie apocalypse. My only complaint would be that Gabry seemed to be a little whiny. I just wanted to tell her to make her mind up already. I guess a person is entitled to be a little whiny though when your world is surrounded by zombies and you have two intriguing young men to choose from. The third book, The Dark and Hollow Places is due out in the spring of 2011. In the meantime, be on the lookout for the anthology Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love which is due out July 27th, 2010. Carrie Ryan is contributing a story that focuses on teenage Sister Tabitha!

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Rot and Ruin

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This is my first one!

Due to the fact that I'm a huge fan of zombie literature my pick this week is Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry, release date- Oct. 5, 2010

From Goodreads:

A teenager grows up in a post-apocalypic, zombie-infested America in Jonathan
Maberry's Rot & Ruin.

The description leaves something to be desired but it's my understanding from reviews on Goodreads that there's a bit of a twist to this zombie novel!

What's your "waiting on" pick this week?

Want to participate? Grab the logo, post your own WoW entry on your blog, and leave your link here!

Review: Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu

Title: Dirty Little Secrets
Author: C.J. Omololu (website)
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: Feb. 2, 2010
Pages: 212

From Goodreads:

Everyone has secrets. Some are just bigger and dirtier than others.

For sixteen years, Lucy has kept her mother's hoarding a secret. She's had to -- nobody would understand the stacks of newspapers and mounds of garbage so high they touch the ceiling and the rotting smell that she's always worried would follow her out the house. After years of keeping people at a distance, she finally has a best friend and maybe even a boyfriend if she can play it right. As long as she can make them think she's normal.

When Lucy arrives home from a sleepover to find her mother dead under a stack of National Geographics, she starts to dial 911 in a panic, but pauses before she can connect. She barely notices the filth and trash anymore, but she knows the paramedics will. First the fire trucks, and then news cameras that will surely follow. No longer will they be remembered as the nice oncology nurse with the lovely children -- they'll turn into that garbage-hoarding freak family on Collier Avenue.

With a normal life finally within reach, Lucy has only minutes to make a critical decision. How far will she go to keep the family secrets safe?

First I have to say that the cover of this book really grabbed my attention! You can almost feel the anxiety of Lucy as she peers into the window of her home. I am fascinated by the topic of hoarding and have watched the t.v. series Hoarders and Hoarding many times. Usually the pervading thought is "how can a person live like this?" This book focuses more on how this disorder effects the lives of those who live unwillingly in this chaos. Lucy's siblings have moved out of the home and have the opportunities to start new lives but Lucy is trapped in her mother's world of garbage. You'll discover in this story though that their mother's hoarding is far reaching and continues to impact the lives of the two who flew the coop. What was also interesting to learn was not only the process of accumulating all of this stuff but how Lucy's mother viewed her treasures and became so emotionally distressed when anyone tried to interfere with her "collecting. I could not put this book down and was compelled to read more on this topic. If you are interested in reading more on this topic check out C.J. Omololu's blog where she also has information about an organization for children of hoarders. I was so inspired to read more that I purchased the book Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things. This is a non-fiction book in which you will learn the how and why people hoard. After reading a few chapters I swear that I'm inspired to go clean out a closet or clear away a stack of junk mail that has accumulated on my kitchen counter. Finally, I'm curious to know what other readers thought of the ending of Dirty Little Secrets... I didn't see it coming and wished Lucy had chosen another way out.

Book Trailer: Eat. Prey. Love

Anyone who knows me knows that I enjoy a good zombie story. My absolute favorite zombie story is of course The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. The Dead-Tossed Waves is the companion book with a third book coming out in the spring of 2011.