A book is good company.

…and another goal unmet.  This time last year, I bemoaned the fact that I didn’t meet my goal of 40 books, and I’m doing it again.  In fact, I read one less book this year than last year.  Before I beat myself up too much about this, I have to remind myself of two major events in 2009 - my daugher was married, and I started a new job.  So, in light of all that, I think it’s pretty awesome that I read 21 books!

However, there is hope for the new year.  Chris got me a Kindle for Christmas, and I’ve already read two books on it.  I have a friend who has had one for a couple of years, and she told me that it was life-changing. I don’t know what it is about the Kindle, but I tend to agree with her.  It’s so easy to download books or samples of books at any time, and I can carry my entire library with me.  Paula said that she’s reading a bigger variety of things, and I think I’ll do much the same.  I’ve gone whole hog and bought a cover and a book light, and I just love it.   Most new books cost $9.99, but there are many books - including classics and new releases - that are FREE!!  That’s super cool!  I was even able to download the One Year Bible which is a great way to read the Bible in a year.  The each daily reading is from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs, so I get to read a little bit of everything each day.  So, let’s see if reading on the Kindle does inspire me to read more and read different kinds of books. I hope it does!! 

#19 - Sweetwater Gap by Denise Hunter - I picked this one up at the Women of Faith conference as part of a three-book set.  This was one of those books that was just plain good to read.  It’s the story of two sisters - Josie, independent, free-lance photographer who left the family farm years ago, and Laurel, the sister who stayed at home to take care of the family farm.  Right away, you can sense the conflict in the book.  Josie feels like she’ll never measure up to Laurel, but she comes home to help Laurel with the apple orchard while Laurel prepares for the birth of her twins.  Throw in the mix Josie’s illness that she’s not willing to face and Grady, the ruggedly handsome orchard manager, and you’ve got a made-for-Hallmark movie plot.  It was a nice, easy read that I enjoyed.

 #20 - My Life in France by Julia Child - After reading Julie and Julia and seeing the movie, I wanted to read Julia Child’s book that was also incorporated into the movie.  Bottom line is that this book was just plain fun.  I guess I had both Julia Child and Meryl Streep’s version of her running through my mind as I read, but I could just hear and see Julia as I read the book.  It tells the story of Julia’s marriage to Paul Child and their life together in France as he worked for the United States Information Service.  It was during their years in France that Julia fell in love with French cooking and determined to bring French cooking to the average American home cook.  I really enjoyed this book.  Like I said, I could almost hear Julia as she narrated the book and discussed the ins and outs of living abroad, working for the US government in France, and writing a cookbook.  Two thumb up on this one.

#21 - The Blind Side by Michael Lewis - This was my first Kindle book!!!  I was so excited to get my Kindle, and I downloaded this book within the first day or two.  (More about the Kindle later…)  The story of Michael Oher has been very popular since the movie came out in November.  I wanted to read the book before seeing the movie to determine for myself if the movie was equal to all the hype.  The book focused a lot on football, specifically the position of left tackle and the responsibilities of the position.  It talked about the evolution of football, especially in terms of the offense and offensive line.  That’s not what the movie-goer sees.  The movie focused on the relationship between Michael and the Tuohy family.  Anyone who works with kids knows a “Michael,” a child who needs love and his basic needs met.  My heart broke for Michael in so many ways, and I was completely amazed by Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy and their willingness to take Michael in.  This child’s life was completely changed by this family.  It just goes to show that every child deserves the chance to succeed.  The movie was good, but the book gives more insight into the relationships between Michael and the Tuohy family.

It’s been a while since I posted, and I really have been reading since the end of July.  I have a new job with the school district, so I don’t have a nice place to post a link to my blog so only people who have found my blog (aka my loyal readers) will know when I post something.  Anyway, I’m going to catch up (albeit with very brief summaries) so that I can record my books and hopefully get to my goal before the end of the year.

#16 - The Collectors by David Baldacci - This one caught my attention because it takes place at the Library of Congress and involves a couple of LoC librarians.  It’s a murder mystery with plenty of twists and turns.  I enjoyed it because I love Baldacci’s work and also because I’ve visited the LoC and Washington, DC a couple of times and could visualize some of locations in the book. 

#17 - Healing Waters by Nancy Rue and Stephen Arterburn - I bought a three-book fiction set at the Women of Faith conference again this year.  This one was quite good…a little slow starting but a good read.   This is the second book in the Sullivan Crisp series by the same authors, but it stands alone.  At first I thought it was going to be one of those low self-esteem books, but it was really much more than that.  The main character suffers from an eating disorder, but the novel is not consumed with it.  It’s mainly about the relationship between two sisters - one a beautiful, confident evangelist; the other an overweight woman whose marriage is on the rocks.  When tragedy strikes, Lucia steps up and learns much about herself and her sister.  There are lots of twists and turns in this one as well, and it has a bit of a surprise ending.

#18 - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - I loved The Hunger Games, and couldn’t wait for the sequel.  I liked Catching Fire, but it didn’t captivate me quite like The Hunger Games did.   To keep this brief, I’ll just say that when Katniss and Peeta’s adventures did not end at the close of the Games in the first book.  They’re forced to play again for the 75th anniversary of the Games.  The arena is quite different this time, and there are many more alliances than were in the last Games.  This one still kept me quite interested, but it was a bit of a let-down from the first book.  I’ll read the final installment of this series, and I’ll hope for something more like the first one.

There are still many books on my bedside table and on my to-read list.   I can’t believe I haven’t read at least 20 books yet, but I’m hopeful I’ll get closer to my goal than I did last year.  I’ve asked Santa for a Kindle for Christmas, so I’m thinking I’ll read more once I get it.  Stay tuned!!

Imagine being enamored with Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking and then deciding to cook every recipe in it (all 524 of them) in one year.  Julie Powell did just that the year before she turned 30.  She chronicled her trip through MtAoFC in a blog titled The Julie/Julia Project which eventually inspired the book and now the movie that will be released August 7.  Julie was just a 29 yr. old Texan living in New York City who wanted a challenge in her life.  She wasn’t a particularly good cook and definitely didn’t have a fully equipped HGTV kitchen in which to cook.  Undaunted, she forged ahead and completed her task and learned a lot about cooking and about her husband and herself by the time she finished it.  She has a new blog - What Could Happen? - that follows her life post MtAoFC.

This was a fun, quick read that is not for the faint of heart as there are many graphic descriptions of dealing with animal brains and kidneys and lobster parts…things that I’d rather not think about in terms of the food that I eat.  Also, Julie doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to her use of profanity, so be warned.  If you’re a cook or a wanna be chef, this book is an entertaining trip through Julia Child’s MtAoFC.  Bon Appetit!

I’m behind in blogging my summer reading, but I’m not behind in reading.  I’ve read four books, and I’m ready to start number five. 

#11 - Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

Several friends have recommended Jodi Picoult, so I picked up this one to see what I thought.  She wrote My Sister’s Keeper and The Tenth Circle which have been made into movies recently.  I loved The Tenth Circle movie, but I haven’t seen My Sister’s Keeper yet.

Delia’s almost perfect world is turned upside down when her father is arrested for kidnapping a child…a crime he committed 28 years ago.  The person he kidnapped was Delia.  He took her from Arizona and her alcoholic mother to New Hampshire where they both assumed new identities, but Delia remembers none of this.  The book follows Delia and her daughter, her fiance (her dad’s attorney), and their best friend as they follow Delia’s father to Phoenix for his incarceration and trial.    Each chapter is told from the point of view of one of these four characters which gives the book many layers.  This one might not make my top ten list, but I did enjoy it.

#12 - The Broker by John Grisham

I’ve been a huge Grisham fan for years, and I used to read everything he wrote as soon as it was published.  It’s entirely possible that I read this one a few years ago when it came out, but I’m not completely sure.  There were parts of it that seemed familiar and other parts that were not.  Whether I read it previously or not doesn’t really matter; Grisham is always good.

Joel Backman has been in federal prison for six years when he his suddenly and unexpectedly pardoned and whisked away to begin a new life with a new identity.  The catch is that there is a price on his head - he has information about technology that could compromise a satellite surveillance sysytem that powers all around the world want to have.  I loved following his travels throughout Italy and his final break from those who are holding him and from those who want to kill him.  The last few chapters move at break-neck speed and make the book impossible to put down.

#13 - Twice as Much in Half the Time by Amy Jones

Reading this book was bittersweet for me.  It was written by the niece of my good friend Frances, and was published soon after Amy’s untimely death.  Reading the book, reading about Amy, and seeing her beautiful picture made me regret not having the opportunity to meet her.

The subtitle of the book is “Secrets to Simplifying Your Life” and Amy shares six easy tips for making life easier:

• Subtract the “stuff” that steals your time
• Add positives into your live
• Multiply your expectations
• Divide your “time” to in clude both I and Me time
• Balance equals a smoother ride

This short, inspirational book can help even the busiest person become more productive, and who doesn’t want to be more productive?

#14 - The Shack by William Paul Young

I’ll admit that I put reading this one off.  As I’m sure most of you have, I heard conflicting things about it.  Some people love it and feel that it’s the best book they’ve ever read, and others found it just so-so.  The bottom line for me is that it has provided lots of food for thought.  This is a work of fiction beginning with the Foreward and including the After Words.  It seems that many people are so drawn into the story that the author has had to convince them that it is a work of fiction.

The crux of the story is that Mack takes three of his children on a camping trip where he almost loses two of them when their canoe tips over, but the third child is kidnapped while he is saving the other two.  After a frantic search for Missy, several witnesses see her in a green pickup driving deep into the forest.  Mack blames himself for Missy’s disappearance and death.  Mack receives a strange letter inviting him to the Shack near where Missy disappeared.  The letter is signed “Papa” which is the name that Mack’s wife Nan uses for God.  Mack goes to the Shack where he first finds it as it was the last time he was there - cold and deserted with Missy’s bloodstain still on the floor.  He falls to the floor and eventually falls asleep.  When he wakes, he meets Papa, Jesus, and Sarayu (the Holy Spirit).  The three of them lead him on the road to recovery and wholeness.  The way that the author describes the relationship between Papa, Jesus, and Sarayu as well as the way that the relationship between them and Mack is portrayed is pretty unforgettable.  This is what I as a believer will remember and will think about for a very long time.

Next on my list is something much lighter - Julie and Julia.  Look for a review of it soon.

I heard the author speak at the TLA Conference a few years ago after I read Speak.  She’s a powerful author who communicates with Young Adults in an exceptional way.   I always know that her books are going to be page-turners and that students will like them.

Ashley Hannigan is not exactly against Prom, but it’s not her favorite event of the year.  She has enough to do to keep caught up with her work and her detentions and staying off  the assistant principal’s radar.  But, when all the money for Prom is stolen by the senior class sponsor, Ashley’s best friend Natalia becomes head of the Prom committee and needs Ashley’s help to pull it off.   Before you think this is all about Prom and nothing else, this book has quite a bit of depth.  Ashley learns about herself, her family, her friends, authority, and the elderly and becomes a better person because of it.

Read Prom.   Laurie Halse Anderson does not disappoint.

I haven’t read a series of books since I read Dee Henderson’s O’Malley books, but I’ll look for the next book in this series as soon as it is available.  WOW!!!  What a book!  This one captured me from the first page and left me wanting more.  My friend Dee read it and then donated it to the library.  Thanks, Dee!

The story is set in a future North America with the Capitol in the Rocky Mountains and the rest of the continent separtated into 12 Districts.  Katniss Everdeen is a hunter who hunts for food in an off-limits area of District 12 so that her family can survive.  Her father died in a coal mining accident several years ago which left Katniss, her mother, and her younger sister Prim to support themselves the best way they can.  Katniss hunts with her best friend Gale, and they help each other feed their families.  The drama begins when it’s time for the annual Hunger Games, a televised fight-to-the-death among 24 young people between the ages of 12 and 18 who are randomly chosen to represent their Districts.   When Prim’s name is drawn, Katniss volunteers to take her place.   Katniss and Peeta, the other “tribute” from District 12, are whisked away to the Capitol to prepare for the Games and to compete for their District’s honor.  Katniss and Peeta discover their strengths and weaknesses and discover much about each other during the Games.

I couldn’t put this book down.  The action moves at a rapid pace, and the descriptions of the dangers Katniss and Peeta encounter are riveting.  I’ll definitely read other books in this series, and I’ll probably look for other books by this author.

Marked is the first book in the House of Night series written by this mother/daughter duo from Oklahoma.  It’s a vampire (aka vampyre) book that is quite different, and much more mature, than Twilight.

Zoey Redbird is “marked” by a Tracker while she’s standing at her locker talking to her best friend Kayla.  The mark, a dark blue outline of a crescent moon, means that she has been chosen to become a vampyre and will go to the House of Night, a school where she’ll train to become a vampyre.   When she goes home and talks to her mom about it, her mom’s first reaction is to tell Zoey’s step-dad who calls the People of Faith to activate the prayer chain for her.  Zoey leaves home and goes to her grandmother who doesn’t judge her but helps her find her way to the House of Night.  Once there, she meets her mentor, her roommate, and a group of very stuck-up girls who call themselves the Dark Daughters.  Zoey discovers that she has unusual powers and abilities that set her apart from most of her classmates, and learning how to handle them keep her busy.

It took a while for me to get drawn into this book, but it did grab me.  There were many things that I really didn’t care for - especially the language, the rituals, and some of the situations.  I’m not sure that I’ll recommend this book to many kids, and I doubt that I read the other books in the series.  I’m glad that I read it so that I can talk about it with kids who do choose to read it.

#6 - An Angel’s Story by Max Lucado

A friend got a three book set of Max Lucado’s Christmas books, and she shared them with me and another friend.  I realized that I read this a few years ago with a different title - Cosmic Christmas.  It’s the back story, if you will, of the events surrounding Christ’s conception and birth.  It tells what was going on in Heaven between the angels and demons as the demons try to prevent God’s plan from coming to completion.  It was a great book that reminded me again about God’s power that surrounds us even when we can’t see it.

#7 - One Potato, Two Potato by Cynthia DeFelice; illustrated by Andrea U’Ren

This book won the Bluebonnet Award which was presented to the author and illustrator at the Texas Library Association Conference last week.  As a member of the Texas Association of School Librarians Executive Board, I was privileged to meet the author and illustrator at the Bluebonnet Luncheon and get my book signed by both of them.  It was pretty cool.

The book is based on a Chinese folktale that has an Irish twist.  Mr. and Mrs. O’Grady have one of everything - one potato each day, one chair, one hairpin, one blanket, and one coat, one candle - so they share all that they have.  One day when Mr. O’Grady is digging for their last potato, he finds instead a large pot.  He digs the pot up, throws in the one potato, and takes it into the house.  When he gets it there and shows it to Mrs. O’Grady, they find not one but two potatoes inside.  They begin experimenting and find that everything they put into the pot is duplicated.  The real fun begins when Mrs. O’Grady falls in.  The story ends with a wonderful message about having enough.  I can’t wait to share this book with Ethan!

I’ll admit that I hadn’t heard about this book until the movie came out, and I read it with very little prior knowledge of the story line.   It was good but not exactly the page-turner I expected.

Fifteen-year-old Michael gets sick and throws up outside Hanna’s apartment on his way home from school one day.  He meets Hanna who cleans him up and then walks him home. Michael is diagnosed with hepatitis the next day and spends months at home recuperating.  His mom expects him to thank his rescuer properly by taking her flowers as soon as he is healthy enough to return to her apartment.  Their affair begins then and lasts several months before she suddenly disappears.  Michael comes in contact with her years later in the courtroom where she is on trial and he is a law student.  Even though they never speak in person again, his life and hers are changed because of their relationship.

Michael is The Reader in the story.  He spends hours reading to Hanna at her request.  He reads everything from The Odyssey to War and Peace to Memoirs of a Good-for-Nothing; prose, drama, and poetry.   It’s years later before he realizes why she was so insistent for him to read to her.

I’m glad I read the book, but I still haven’t seen the movie.  I probably will, but I’ll have to wait for it to come out on video.  This book is for adults…not recommended for students.