Sunday, June 26, 2011

Is it really blogging?

Is it really blogging if you only post about once a semester? How sad is that? Well, I do have to say, I have read a lot in the last couple of months. But I knew that I was not good at keeping up with the blog. I just didn't realize HOW not good. *sigh* Well, I shall try again to be better about it. I have gotten quite caught up in some presentations I was doing on the iPad and educational and library apps to go with it, but I never hope to neglect my books for it. Sooo..where to start....I think a list might be in order. Perhaps with bullet points under each title.

The Magic Thief
  • Fantasy
  • Poor Orphan Formula
  • Magic
  • Pretty good read, but not for those who don't like Fantasy
Extra Credit
  • Andrew Clements is always a favorite
  • I liked that it takes on a topic we hear a lot about (Afghanistan)
  • Easy read, so it might be good for reluctant readers
Kenny and the Dragon
  • Cute story
  • Easy read
  • Good for young uns - I was a little surprised it was on our Intermediate list

Night of the Spadefoot Toads
  • Seems like it should be written by Andrew Clements or Carl Hiassen
  • Sort of a slow story compared to the others
  • Fine book, but it didn't really pull me in
Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow
  • A robust fantasy and the start of, what else, a series
  • Poor Orphan Formula
  • Magic, danger, excitement, romance
  • Fantasy fans will enjoy this one

Shooting the Moon
  • Soft spot in my heart for this one as it reminds me of my dad
  • Set during the Vietnam War
  • A brother sends pictures home to his sister to explain what war is like

Closed for the Season
  • Mary Downing Hahn
  • Not a good Mary Downing Hahn
  • Wasn't scary or creepy
  • Wasn't much of a mystery either

The Blue Shoe
  • Really fantasy
  • Poor Orphan Formula
  • Magic and a mysterious Blue Shoe

The Grimm Legacy
  • A girl gets a job working at the "repository" where the magical Grimm collection (among other special collections) is stored
  • Someone wants to steal the stuff (so surprising, I know...)
  • Pretty good read
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling
  • Great book
  • A flair of historical fiction with the slightest twinge of fantasy. Though if my hunch is correct, we will get more fantasy as we delve into book two - this is just the first in a series.

The Mostly True Adventures of Home P. Figg
  • Good historical fiction
  • Much more serious and less funny than the cover lets on
  • The cover really did throw me off

The Magician's Elephant
  • Who couldn't like Kate DiCamilllo
  • Another great book from her
  • Sadness, love, redemption....a great read!

Vesper's Rising
  • Another 39 Clues book
  • Kind of neat to see the start of the family
  • I wonder how long they'll milk this product though

The Throne of Fire
  • Just as good as the Red Pyramid
Beastly
  • One of the Sync YA free audiobooks
  • Obvious spin on Beauty and the Beast
  • Great character development

The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch
  • Another Sync YA audiobook
  • First in a series
  • Good magical fantasy
  • Reminds me a bit of Harry Potter when it starts to get darker
*Both books I would consider putting in my library for higher reader intermediate students

A Whole New Mind
  • Tremendous adult read for anyone teaching in the 21st Century and anyone interested in learning how times are changing. It makes good sense!
Smokin' Seventeen
  • The latest in the Stephanie Plum series
  • A lot fun
  • Good, juicy parts to the story
I think that's it, but I may have forgotten something. I do have a lot more new books to dig through at school, so I hope to be much better about posting! (Of course, I say that a lot don't I?) :-)

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