Ruminations on Reading

I'm writing a book. I've got the page numbers done.

~Steven Wright

Teen Trauma

Most young adult books these days seem to center on paranormal loves or dystopian adventures. It was refreshing to come across a well-reviewed teen novel that focused on reality, no matter how sad. Prepare yourself to become quickly emotionally involved in this story; you may want tissues ready. It's the story of Hazel, a teen diagnosed with cancer and the relationship she builds with charming Augustus Waters. At times laughing out loud and at others silently crying, I flew through this roller coaster of a read and recommend it to anyone who is up for it.

More about the book & author

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American Fiction

I can only imagine the reaction people would have walking into a room and seeing this iconic bookshelf on the wall. It would be even more fun to pick books about each state or by authors from those states to fill the cubbies!

Down in the Bayou

I resisted reading this book for a while since the material sounded just too random to interest me. The story of a family in the Florida swamplands who own a floundering alligator tourist trap held virtually no appeal for me. The praise heaped on Karen Russell's book convinced me that it was worth picking up and giving it a whirl, and I'm glad I did. Thirteen-year-old Ava Bigtree is an unusual heroine but provides the backbone and heart of the bizarre tale. With a bright brother, a ghost-obsessed sister and a mostly absent father, she takes on the revitalization of their family's theme park by herself. The book is definitely unlike anything I've read before but it is well constructed and an entertaining read.

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The Best of Times

One hundred years have passed since Titanic sank and with the re-release of the epic Titanic film in 3D, it seems to be only the beginning of the rebirth of interest in this disaster. This week in the Times, two books about this topic were spotlighted: Gilded Lives, Fatal Voyage by Hugh Brewster and Shadow of the Titanic by Andrew Wilson. Based on the reviews, it sounds like both offer a deeper look into the world at the time of this disaster as well as profiling the lives of those aboard. For anyone looking to go deeper than Kate and Leo, you should check out these two titles.

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Buy The Shadow of the Titanic now from Amazon    Buy the Shadow of the Titanic now from B&N