JANUARY
Abide With Me by Elizabeth Strout A- Semicolon review here.
Atonement by Ian McEwan B+ Semicolon review here.
Bee Season by Myla Goldberg C Semicolon review here.
Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson B+ I didn’t get around to reviewing this book by one of my favorite Newbery authors. It’s about a strike in the early 1900’s, the early days of labor organizing. The girl who is the main character is afraid that her mother and older sister will be hurt or even killed as they participate in a strike.
Camel Bells by Janne Carlsson C+ Set in Afghanistan before and during the Russian occupation.
Camilla by Madeleine L’Engle B+ Semicolon review here.
Desperate Journey by Jim Murphy B+ Semicolon review here.
A Drowned Maiden’s Hair by Laura Amy Schlitz A- Finalist for the Cybil Award for Middle School Fiction.
Edna St. Vincent Millay by Carolyn Daffron Iread this biography in preparation for a discussion in my American literature class at our homeschool co-op.
Gossamer by Lois Lowry B+ Semicolon review here.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I re-read this one for American literature, too.
A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh B I’m just not sure Eeeevelyn and I are on the same wave length. Both of the books I’ve read by Waugh just seem a little . . . off, somehow. Maybe it’s me.
Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck B
In Search of Eden by Linda Nichols C+
Inklings by Melanie Jeschke C+
Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller B+ Finalist for the Cyblil Award for Middle Grade Fiction.
Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce B+ I read this one because I liked Framed, another finalist for the Cybil Award for Middle Grade Fiction.
Penny From Heaven–Holm B Recommended by Jen Robinson. And by Miss Erin. Penny From Heaven was named a Newbery Honor Book for 2006. I thought it was solid, but not great.
Surviving Antartica: Reality TV 2083 by Andrea White B It wasn’t until I reached the end of this book that I realized that its author is the wife of the mayor of Houston. How many of you have a mayor whose wife writes YA fiction? Decent, well-written YA fiction.
That Girl Lucy Moon by Amy Timberlake. C+
The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon A Nebula Award winner. Semicolon review here. Excellent.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John LeCarre B Semicolon review here.
A Winter’s Love by Madeleine L’Engle B
The best book I’ve read this month: Definitely, The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
The worst book I’ve managed to persevere through: Bee Season by Myla Goldberg. Also the weirdest.
Most surprising book of the month: Kiki Strike. The more I read, the more I liked it. It was creative and sassy, and somewhat feminist, and I still liked it very much.
Best recycle: It’s hard to beat The Great Gatsby.
Best kidlit: A Drowned Maiden’s Hair. Funny, adventurous, heart-warming story about an orphan who lands in a nest of spiritualist con artists.
I have that Inklings book on my wish list at Amazon (where I keep of list of books I *might* buy some time). If it only rated a C+ should I even bother?
Shame me! and I am on my 5th book right now for 2007. wow… however, I will say I am getting some good recommendations from your list.
Karen: There’s nothing wrong with the book; it’s just a typical Christian romance. I did like the descriptions of Oxford and the other place (that’s apparently what Oxonians call Cambridge) and the details about Lewis and the other Inklings.
Typical Christian romance! Egad! I somehow managed to overlook that piece of information. That’s not a genre I enjoy, so I’ll to think twice before I actually pay money for it. Thanks.
Shame on me, too! I thought I would get a lot of reading done in January…not so.
You inspire me to keep going, though…trudge ahead in delight.
I forgot to write before, I liked Inklings but for the same reasons you give. However, she gets better with each book. I liked Inklings for the storyline (Oxford, Lewis, etc.) but the writing improved a lot with each sequel. I forget that was her first novel.
That there’s some good reading! I like the idea of doing a monthly summary.
Oh, and Bee Season is pretty strange – esp. towards the end.
Why did you not like Bee Season? I have not read it but had given it consideration.
Cathy, you can read the review. Basically, I thought it was fairly sad and hopeless, and the ending was odd, to say the least.
I like this monthly summary idea, too. With links to all of the reviews. That’s a fine month of reading that you had!
BTW, I started reading a Drowned Maiden’s Hair – so far delightful!
I subscribed to your Feedblitz and see you have some new postings, but have not been notified by email. I, too, added that feature to my blog, so will be curious as to if it works and works well.