Catch-up January

Looking back on my YA favorites of 2009, I noticed that there are quite a few books published last year still sitting on my to-read pile (and waiting for me at the library). So, I decided to play catch-up this month and read these fine books which are sure to find their way to my favorites list as well.

Ash by Malinda Lo (currently reading)
Cinderella retelling. Too bad the CIP gave away a major plot point - Ash doesn't fall in love with the prince but instead the King's Huntress.

Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley
Faeries!

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Southern goth? I don't know, but lots of people are talking about it. The 500+ pages do intimidate me though.

Liar by Justine Larbalestier
I've avoided this book for months because I am never in the mood for mind games. Is the whole story a lie? When is she lying? How am I supposed to know?

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima
I really liked her Heir trilogy, so I'm excited for this new series. But again, the size of this volume does worry me.

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling. Dragon Slippers got me hooked on this wonderful author.

Need by Carrie Jones
Pixies! And the sequel, Captivate, is out, so I need to read this one first!

Checked out (2)

After finding out that all of the Philadelphia libraries are closing, I decided to take a trip to my library and do a little browsing. I came out with a nice mix, if I do say so myself.

Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything
written by Lenore Look, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf

I've been meaning to read this book since it came out, and now I have to read it because it's one of the Monarch Award nominees this year. Kirkus says it's "reminiscent of Beverly Clearly's infamous Ramona Quimby." I will probably agree.







Prudence & Moxie: A Tale of Mismatched Friends
written by Deborah Noyes, illustrated by AnnaLaura Cantone

Sitting on the new book shelf, calling out to me with its uniquely named main characters and beautifully muted fall colors. Much of the reason I ever pick up a picture book is because of the artwork, especially the color palette and medium - some seem like they were just made for me, and this is one of them. The frantic line drawings with the stitched page borders, bright purples and pinks and muddy yellows and greens - sigh.


Paris Pan takes the Dare
written by Cynthea Liu

I just recently heard about this book on Shelf Elf's blog and was definitely intrigued since I'm currently in a middle school with many mystery fans. Cynthea Liu will also be at the ISLMA conference next month, so I thought I'd check out her book before heading over to one of her sessions on Saturday.






The Naked Mole-Rat Letters
written by Mary Amato

I don't know anything about this book except that it's a Rebecca Caudill Award nominee this year, so I must read it.








My Life in France
written by Julia Child

I meant to read this after I read Julie and Julia, but I never got around to it. It might take me through Thanksgiving break to actually read it, but there it is, my personal choice for this semester.









Me with You
written by Kristy Dempsey, illustrated by Christopher Denise

I have been waiting to read this picture book since I first saw it on the PlanetEsme blog back in June. Sweet story about a little girl bear and her grandfather. This one has large text (a sentence per spread) and seems to be great for the wee ones, toddlers through kindergarten maybe.



Home of the Brave
written by Katherine Applegate

I am so guilty of judging a book by its cover. This cover creeps me out, and I would have never picked it up had it not been on the Caudill list this year. It also looked like it would be a heavy read, especially at 253 pages, but I was happy to find that it's written in verse. So, I think I'll try it out.






Gone with the Wand
written by Margie Palatini, illustrated by Brian Ajhar

What can I say? My faerie obsession started when I was a little girl the first time I saw Disney's Cinderella. Sure, that fairy was adorable, elderly, plump, and sugary sweet, but the fascination with all things faerie must have started there. So, it's a given that I will read (or watch) any sort of Cinderella remake. Because it's my story; it's the one that reminds me of my childhood.

First Light
written by Rebecca Stead

Another Caudill nominee; it looks pretty. :)








Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand
written by Gail Carson Levine, illustrated by David Christiana

I was wandering through the children's section, looking for an entirely different book altogether, but I saw this one protruding from the shelf, took one look at the cover art and author and decided that I needed to read it. Fairy obsessed, I know. But unfortunately, this is a sequel. So, I will have to go back and find Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg before I read this one.



The Faerie Door
written by B.E. Maxwell

It's no coincidence that my recent faerie addiction corresponds with a huge boom of faerie literature in the book market. Vampires, too. And I'm slowly getting on board with the zombies.







Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
written by Vicki Myron

I've been meaning to read this book for awhile too, but again, I think I might have to put it on hold. This copy smells so heavily of smoke that I need to return it to the library like right now. Blech. I'm looking forward to the picture book though.







The Secrets of Greymoor
written by Clara Gillow Clark

This is a middle grade historical fiction mystery - woo! Thanks to the YA Books Central blog for the tip on this one.

Checked out

There will be no ceremonious beginning for this blog. It's been in my head for too long, and I just want to start sharing already. Periodically, I make trips to the library which result in totes full of books. What can I say? I get really excited at the library. I read too many book blogs, so I put too many books on hold. And who can resist new book shelves? Not me, that's for sure. As my family would say, my eyes are bigger than my stomach - I want too much but can't possibly eat (or in this case, read) it all. But oh, how I try! It's summer, and theoretically, I should have more time to read, so here goes. This is what I have currently checked out:

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
I know this book is good. I've read parts of it and thought they were amazing. But it's not a book I can read in one sitting - it's taken me a couple months so far. I'm hoping I'll finish by the end of the summer.

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell
I'm still trying to find time for last year's National Book Award Winner for Young People's Literature. I've checked it out a few times already, and it's always ended up at the bottom of my to-read pile. This time it's renew renew renew until I read it!

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
I can't remember which blog recommended this book, but I had it saved in my bloglines for awhile. Seems like an interesting middle grades read.

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
I'm reading this book right now and keep finding excuses not to go back to it. Like Wintergirls, I know this book is good, but it's not a quick read. And I currently have attention span issues.

Swallow Me Whole by Nate Powell
I was looking for a graphic novel to read (as in an original graphic novel) and this came highly recommended by someone from somewhere. I should really start tracking these recommendations. I don't know if I'll be able to get into this one - I'm not much for black&white; I need color!

Stargazer by Claudia Gray
I did not like Evernight - to the point that parts of it just made me angry. But since it evoked such a strong emotional response from me (beats an "eh" reaction), I thought I'd read the sequel. And I'm still obsessed with vampires. Thank you, Stephenie Meyer.

Natalie and Naughtily by Vincent X. Kirsch
Aha! I know where I found this one! I stumbled across Esme Raji Codell's blog this weekend - a name I recognized because I had read Educating Esme when I thought I wanted to be an elementary school teacher; then later recommended How to Get Kids to Love Reading to my cousin who's in early childhood education. Anyhow, thanks to Esme, I get to read about a fellow Natalie - a surprisingly rare occurrence. The illustrations in this book are just lovely, so vibrant and beautiful! I might have to buy it.

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
Who hasn't recommended this book? I'm fairly certain it's next on my to-read list. Next week, maybe. Okay, I'm scared it won't live up to the hype, and I'll be disappointed. So I'll convince myself that it's no good to be pleasantly surprised when it is. :)

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Can I read this book? It has a The Lovely Bones feeling to it, and that book was just painful. Good but painful.

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
I'm so behind when it comes to award winners. Why does the Printz committee torture me so? I tried reading this book a few months ago, and it wasn't happening for me. Apparently, from other reviews I've read, I have to get 2/3 of the way through before it gets good. I don't have that kind of patience! But alas, I will try again.

Gunnerkrigg Court: Orientation by Thomas Siddell
I just finished this webcomic collection this weekend, and oh how I loved it! I'm tempted to read it online, but it's not the same as flipping through those glossy, full-color pages. Check out my review on GoodReads.

The Fruit Bowl Project by Sarah Durkee
I volunteered to be one of the readers for the whittling down of the 2010-2011 Golden Jaguar list, and this is one of my books to read. One of my ten from about a hundred.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
The cover's beautiful. People are talking about it. And how can I resist a dystopia?

Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith
I didn't like Tantalize, but I can't help myself. I'm a sucker (ha ha) for series and companion novels.

Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
A nominee for the 2009-2010 Golden Jaguar Award. Must read!

Dork Diaries: Tales from a NOT-SO-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renee Russell
Not sure whose blog I found this on, but it looks adorable. Kind of a Diary of a Wimpy Kid rip-off, but oh well. When it's hot, it's hot. It'll be a quick read, and I'm happy for that.

Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner
I've been wanting to read this since before it came out last year when I was creating my faerie webliography, but I never got around to it. If I ever go for my doctorate, I'm studying faerie literature, for sure.

Any Which Wall by Laura Snyder
This was on many bloggers' lists of books to read or books they got at BEA, and it was just sitting on the new book shelf at the library, so...

All of the Above by Shelley Pearson
A Golden Jaguar nominee for 2009-2010. The Golden Jaguar is a reader's choice award created by the librarian at the middle school where I will be student teaching, so I thought I'd read all the nominees for this upcoming year with them. All 20.