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?) :-)