It's Monday, What Are You Reading? June 16, 2014

I'm looking forward to getting my reading mojo this summer.

Books Purchased
Thrive by Meenoo Rami
Reading in the Wild by Donalyn Miller
Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

Books Read
Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling
The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson
The Prophecy by Ellen Oh
Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (17%)

I participated in 48 Hour Book Challenge last weekend, as my schedule permitted. The theme this year was #WeNeedDiverseBooks and I was able to finish Prophecy by Ellen Oh which was ok but a little light on development. I don't see myself going any further in the series but who knows!  I also read, and loved, The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson.  This was a seriously fun read! I will be using it as one of my first book club books for 6th graders.  The pacing was just right and the storyline was fun and easy to follow.  It will be interesting to discuss the reality of some of the pranks and see what we can pull off at school.  I'll be on the lookout for some other heist-type or shenanigan-related reads for a full display.

It was amazing to finish the Harry Potter series back to back. I needed an audio book back in April, picked up #1 and just couldn't stop listening. Though when the audiobook was checked out of the library, I did revert to reading the paper books.  It was so interesting to reread knowing how it all ended, every conversation, every spell, every magical item took on a new significance. Well played, JK Rowling.

It's  Monday, What Are You Reading is hosted by TeachMentorTexts.

Sunday Salon Author Spotlight - Gabrielle Zevin

Gabrielle Zevin writes for adults and young adults. Three of the four books we have in our school library feature a science fiction element.  The fourth book deals directly with identity through memory loss.

Elsewhere (Macmillan/Square Fish, 2006. 304p. )
The first book I read by Zevin. Liz dies and ends up in Elsewhere. In Elsewhere, you live your life backwards from the day you die until before you are born and then you are reincarnated. So cool. Imagine reliving parts of your life while keeping the experience and knowledge that you've gained. How to come to terms with your mental vs physical capabilities? What can you do differently?

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac (Macmillan/Square Fish, 2007. 288p)
If you can't remember who you are, can you become who you want to be? Naomi knocked her head and conveniently forgot all the bad things that were happening in her life. Unfortunately, she also didn't remember any of the good things. And who could she trust to tell her the truth?

All These Things I've Done - Birthright, 1 (Macmillan/Square Fish, 2011. 384p)
I just re-read this one.  It's the first in a trilogy and it's set in a future where chocolate and coffee are forbidden. The mafia families are big on making sure people have their chocolate and Anya, a child of a former mob boss, is trying desperately to sever her ties with the Balanchine Family.  Anya is orphaned with a younger sister and older brother to care for. She unwittingly becomes a pawn in a game between the Families and the wanna-be new District Attorney. Side note: These new covers suck. Anya does NOT have straight hair and us curly-haired girls are disappointed.  If they needed to put a face, they could have chosen one with cooler hair.

Because it is My Blood - Birthright, 2 (Macmillan/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. 350p)
I actually liked this one better than book 1! Lots more intrigue and backstabbing! I could also connect more with Anya and cared about her problems. She embraced her past and determines to make the future better. We learn more about how chocolate came to be banned and we see Anya grow into herself and become a strong female lead.  I was, however, disappointed in her best friend's choices! I look forward to finding out if Anya's plans for the family come to fruition. Side note: Both books have awesome chapter titles!

Find Gabrielle Zevin on Facebook | Twitter | Macmillan

Because It Is My Blood Trailer