tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38692802012-02-16T03:14:47.406-08:00Reading LogWhat I've read and what I think about itSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.comBlogger3091100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-91047139886680032062008-06-25T09:55:00.000-07:002008-06-25T09:57:10.242-07:00Check here for new reviewshttp://www.goodreads.com/profile/sarahmaeSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-4586818571089769232007-10-14T15:44:00.001-07:002007-10-14T15:50:12.887-07:00The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman AlexieAfter breaking his teacher's nose on the first day of 9th grade, Junior decides to leave the reservation and go to school at the white high school. True, funny and heartbreaking.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-26664304032097612842007-10-14T15:40:00.000-07:002007-10-14T15:43:57.386-07:00The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs by Jack GantosIvy discovers a disturbing secret in her small, Pennsylvania town that stems from a curse of excessive mother-love.RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-62620147246944436802007-10-14T15:33:00.000-07:002007-10-14T15:40:43.969-07:00The Plain Janes by Cecil Castelluci and Jim RuggAfter a terrorist attack, Jane's parents decide that Metro City is too dangerous and they need to move to the suburbs. In between dealing with her PTSD and her overprotective mother, Jane manages to find some like-minded friends and they start P.L.A.I.N.- People Loving Arts in Neighborhoods.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-86630311544992768592007-09-27T23:14:00.000-07:002007-09-27T23:17:03.680-07:00Eclipse by Stephenie MeyerBella is still human and her vampire boyfriend and werewolf best friend are still vying for her undivided attention.RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-42897781977192550422007-09-27T23:10:00.000-07:002007-09-27T23:14:24.657-07:00Pants on Fire by Meg CabotKatie thinks she has the perfect life: popularity, a football player boyfriend and even a drama hottie on the side. Unfortunately it's all built on a web of lies and when Tommy Sullivan comes back into town, the web starts to unravel.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-44710411589832248042007-09-27T23:02:00.000-07:002007-09-27T23:10:47.390-07:00El Principe de la Niebla por Carlos Ruiz ZafonWhen Max's father drags his family to a seaside town to escape the pressures of WWII, they think it will be pretty boring. As soon as they arrive in the train station, strange things start happening. Soon Max and his older sister are involved in a creepy mystery that has their lives in danger.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-84147023242266022622007-09-15T22:08:00.000-07:002007-09-15T22:12:39.526-07:00Good Girls by Laura RubyAudrey is the over-achieving. good girl until a picture of a private moment is leaked to the entire school, including her parents. Now she has to figure out what it means to be "good" and if it's really all it's cracked up to be.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-64354727090297641372007-09-15T21:55:00.000-07:002007-09-15T22:08:23.171-07:00Fourth Comings by Megan McCaffertyJessica Darling has graduated from college and is attempting to live her dream in NYC. She has no full-time job, is sharing a bunk bed with Hope and now has one week to make a life-changing decision: accept Marcus' marriage proposal or not.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-57239440949079576262007-09-15T21:49:00.001-07:002007-09-15T21:54:51.053-07:00I Hate Myself and Want to Die: the 52 most depressing songs you've ever heardby Tom ReynoldsDespite what you might think from the title, this book is hilarious. Tom Reynolds dissects what he thinks are the most hideously depressing songs ever recorded leading up to the "Perfect Storms."Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-7303858327683424052007-07-22T23:06:00.000-07:002007-08-31T23:15:57.092-07:00Summer Reading (June, July, & August):Saint Dale by Sharyn McCrumbThe Accidental Florist by Jill ChurchillInvisible by Pete HautmanThe Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry LygaSecret Society Girl: an ivy league novel by Diana PeterfreundWhy I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose WoodPersepolis by Marjane SatrapiPedro and Me by Judd WinickUltimate X-Men: Tomorrow People, Volume 1 bySarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-5789749410893929092007-06-05T23:26:00.000-07:002007-06-05T23:29:58.554-07:00Ethan, Suspended by Pamela EhrenbergWhen Ethan is suspended from school, his mom sends him to stay with his grandparents in Washington, DC. Soon he's dealing with being the only white kid at Parker Junior High and his parent's separation. Will he ever find his place?Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-89803445613260602232007-06-05T23:22:00.000-07:002007-06-05T23:26:40.406-07:00The Prestige by Christopher PriestA 19th century magicians' feud has unintended consequences that affect future generations.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-22004388902217140722007-06-05T23:19:00.000-07:002007-06-05T23:22:24.452-07:00Cupcake by Rachel CohnThe third book about Cyd Charisse. CC has graduated high school and moved in with her half-brother in NYC. She is supposed to go to culinary school but she keeps getting distracted, even with her soul-mate Shrimp far away in New Zealand.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-91146045297779939232007-05-29T20:50:00.000-07:002007-05-29T20:52:56.644-07:00Nineteen Minutes by Jodi PicoultYou can do a lot of things in nineteen minutes, like saving a life or taking one.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-11452425563100150482007-05-29T20:39:00.000-07:002007-05-29T20:50:15.253-07:00Devilish by Maureen JohnsonJane and Allison are outcasts at their Catholic girls' school until Allison is made an offer that she can't refuse.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-45396224227319907452007-05-29T20:37:00.000-07:002007-05-29T20:39:41.852-07:0013 Little blue Envelopes by Maureen JohnsonWhen Ginny's eccentric Aunt dies, she leaves her 13 envelopes and instructions that will take her on a life-changing journey.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-55846478700068372432007-05-29T20:30:00.000-07:002007-05-29T20:37:40.452-07:00The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen JohnsonWhen Nina comes back from the first summer she's ever spent apart from her best friends Mel and Avery, she is not too surprised that their relationship has changed. She just doesn't realize how much.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-25323111134452234852007-05-18T00:30:00.000-07:002007-05-18T00:36:34.811-07:00The Spellman Files by Lisa LutzGrowing up in a family of PIs gives Izzy a different perspective on privacy than most people. There's also the problem of blurring the line between work and home, especially when you work with your parents and live above the office.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-50913223161464537292007-05-18T00:23:00.000-07:002007-05-18T00:30:26.314-07:00Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert MurdockWhen DJ Schwenk agrees to train the quarterback for the rival high school's football team, she has no idea that it will end up changing her life.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-21537245545960240812007-05-18T00:14:00.000-07:002007-05-18T00:23:23.069-07:00The Mislaid Magician or Ten Years After by Patricia C. Wrede and Carolyn StevermerIn this sequel to The Grand Tour, it's been 10 years since their honeymoon and now Kate and Cecy have growing families. Soon they and their families are embroiled in a magical mystery. Amagician working for the railroad has seemingly disappeared into thin air and they must find out what happened.This time around we Sarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-59230155813217608072007-05-18T00:09:00.000-07:002007-05-18T00:14:33.954-07:00The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan PatronLucky cleans up after all the 12 step meetings in Hard Pan, she also eavesdrops on all of them. She becomes convinced that if she finds her "higher power" then all of her problems would be solved but what if she has to hit rock bottom first?RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-48072039563277208572007-05-01T16:49:00.000-07:002007-05-01T16:55:41.839-07:00Family Tree by Barbara DelinskyWhen Dana Clarke gives birth to her first child, she and her husband are overjoyed. Soon, however, everyone is gossiping about them when it is revealed that their child has African-American features. Could they be from the father she never knew?RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-57681525825529497892007-05-01T16:46:00.000-07:002007-05-01T16:49:50.362-07:00Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan and Art by Niko HenrichonA powerful graphic novel based on the true story of a pride of lions set free from the Baghdad zoo during the American bombing in 2003.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-27548131251329183562007-05-01T16:44:00.000-07:002007-05-01T16:46:43.567-07:00Diva by Alex FlinnLast year Caitlin was dealing with her abusive ex-boyfriend but this year she's ready for something new. She's off to Miami High School for the Arts but does she have what it takes to be a diva?Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-43561686639826380722007-05-01T16:41:00.000-07:002007-05-01T16:44:32.639-07:00Breathing Underwater by Alex FlinnNick is going through a hard time. His girlfriend Caitlin has dumped him and taken out a restraining order and now he has to go to anger management classes. How can he let Caitlin go when she's the best thing to ever happen to him and the only one who knows about his dad's temper?Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-13854866105575795692007-04-20T22:23:00.000-07:002007-04-20T22:26:13.126-07:00Winning the City by Theodore WeesnerDale Wheeler is all set to take his Detroit school's basketball team to the city championships until a rich dad kicks him off to make room for his sons.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-55957062631130201662007-04-16T22:56:00.000-07:002007-04-16T23:00:31.424-07:00Am I the Last Virgin?: Ten African American Reflections on Sex & Love ed. by Tara RobertsA great collection of memoirs on a wide variety of sexual and coming-of-age issues. They will make you laugh and cry but you will feel stronger for it. Definitely a book that should be updated.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-32560836807290042122007-04-12T00:09:00.000-07:002007-04-12T00:14:47.917-07:00The Uses of Enchantment by Heidi JulavitsFifteen years after her supposedly faked abduction, Mary returns home for her mother's funeral only to be sucked back into the web of deceit.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-42560979926060953512007-04-12T00:06:00.000-07:002007-04-12T00:09:50.310-07:00Remember Me: a lively tour of the new American way of death by Lisa Takeuchi CullenWith humor and respect Mrs. Cullen explores the latest innovations in the funeral business and the people who choose them.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-17407341814606099932007-04-03T20:17:00.000-07:002007-04-03T20:22:55.814-07:00American Born Chinese by Gene Luen YangTold in three alternating story lines: the story of the Monkey King, Jin Yang trying to adjust to life as one of a handful of Asians in a White school, and a sitcom: "Everyone Ruvs Chin-Kee."If you only read one graphic novel this year, make it this one.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-38599875026584863332007-04-03T20:12:00.000-07:002007-04-03T20:17:03.897-07:00SchoolGirls: young women, self-esteem and the confidence gap by Peggy OrensteinPeggy Orenstein does spectacular job of examining the school and home cultures that contribute to low self-esteem in females during adolescence. In her book she follows girls at two different schools: one mostly White, middle-class and suburban, the other mostly African-American and Latino, working class and Sarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-28990089216570921382007-03-22T21:50:00.000-07:002007-03-22T21:56:52.502-07:00Nothing But The Truth (and a few white lies) by Justina Chen HeadleyPatty Ho never thought being half-white and half-Chinese was anything special. Especially when it seemed like her older brother Abe had gotten all the non-gawky genes. Then she goes to math camp at Stanford and realizes how hot being hapa can be.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-90983881634055246872007-03-22T21:48:00.000-07:002007-03-22T21:50:21.390-07:00The Librarian by Larry BeinhartA political thriller about a Republican attempt to steal the election from a female Democratic candidate. Unfortunately for them, there's a librarian on the case.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-45839819005580398552007-03-05T22:58:00.000-08:002007-03-05T23:02:48.047-08:00The Dewey Decimal System of Love by Josephine CarrA celibate, spinster Librarian falls in love and solves a mystery.Highly recommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-57515349794324951492007-03-05T22:55:00.000-08:002007-03-05T22:58:42.772-08:00Girl Talk by Julianna BaggottWhen Lissy Jablonski's father runs away with another woman the summer she turns 15, she couldn't realize how much her life would be changed.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-75079063097586226302007-03-05T22:51:00.000-08:002007-03-05T22:55:09.451-08:00Sin (Rush Hour Volume 1) edited by Michael CartSome of your favorite YA authors address the theme of sin in short stories, poetry, excerpts and more.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-84443477825383512402007-02-13T22:59:00.000-08:002007-02-13T23:02:13.392-08:00love is a mix tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time by Rob SheffieldRob Sheffield celebrates the life and early death of his wife Renee through the mix tapes she left behind.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-48050807531979588212007-02-12T22:21:00.000-08:002007-02-13T22:58:35.906-08:00Sandpiper by Ellen WittlingerSandpiper has a reputation as the go-to girl for oral sex. At first it made her feel powerful, now it just sickens her. She's trying to change but someone won't let her forget.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-57214930963508937342007-02-12T22:11:00.000-08:002007-02-12T22:11:09.577-08:00Forever in Blue: the fourth summer of the sisterhood by Ann BrasharesThe magic pants that allowed them to be apart, show them how to come back together.RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-55110679003691951772007-02-12T22:08:00.000-08:002007-02-01T00:15:13.732-08:00Devil in a Blue DressBad Boy Brawly Brown by Walter MosleyEasy Rawlins is a WWII vet back in LA. helping his friends out with their problems using his own special skills.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-91076500341637448072007-02-01T00:13:00.000-08:002007-02-01T00:15:13.881-08:00Blankets by Craig ThompsonA compelling and bittersweet memoir of growing up when you never quite fit in.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-6507557118186983602007-02-01T00:09:00.000-08:002007-02-01T00:13:05.204-08:00Fun Home: a family tragicomic by Alison BechdelA bittersweet memoir of coming out and dealing with its unexpectedly tragic repercussions.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-24522503763086487212007-02-01T00:02:00.000-08:002007-02-01T00:09:31.476-08:00The Thing About Jane Spring by Sharon KrumWhat happens when a high-powered, military-bred attorney takes on a new strategy in the game of love? Anything and everything when her new role model is Doris Day. Que sera, sera indeed.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-72090685125811164002007-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:002007-02-01T00:01:56.384-08:00Valentine Princess by Meg CabotMia relives her first Valentine's Day with Michael when she finds her old diary.RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-13184691106343122772007-01-31T23:58:00.000-08:002007-02-01T00:00:19.475-08:00Nailed by Patrick JonesBret's father always tells him, "the nail that sticks out the farthest gets hammered the hardest." What do you do if the that nail is always you?Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-92038312310004920222007-01-31T23:55:00.000-08:002007-01-31T23:58:05.221-08:00Naughts and Crosses by Malorie BlackmanImagine a society, not unlike our own, where racial segregation is still going strong. There are separate schools and most of the "inferior" race are poor but there is one difference: the "superior" race is black.RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-37562280710973865822007-01-20T19:43:00.000-08:002007-01-20T19:48:19.137-08:00Runaways (Vols. 1-4) by Brian K. Vaughn and Adrian AlphonaWhat if you found out that your parents are evil super-villains, what would you do?Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-44392242209117516492007-01-20T19:39:00.000-08:002007-01-20T19:43:03.117-08:00Anybody Out There? by Marian KeyesWith the help of her friends and family, Anna Walsh deals with the aftermath of a horrible car accident.RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-84371453577892487142007-01-15T23:15:00.000-08:002007-01-18T23:16:18.233-08:00Princess on the Brink by Meg CabotVolume VIII of the Princess DiariesMia is just starting her Junior year when her boyfriend drops a bomb: He's going to Japan for a year (at least!) to build a robot. How will she survive without him?Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-6766124302574725602007-01-15T23:10:00.000-08:002007-01-15T23:15:45.199-08:00Small Steps by Louis SacharArmpit has been out of Camp Green Lake for two years but he is still trying to prove himself. When he goes along with X-Ray's ticket scalping scheme, he almost loses everything.Highly RecommendedMarketed as a sequel to Holes but it is really the continuation of Armpit's and tangentially X-Ray's stories.Sarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-81060309649052302812007-01-15T23:05:00.000-08:002007-01-15T23:10:45.288-08:00Blind Submission by Debra GinsbergThe Devil Wears Prada meets Gaslight. Who knew editing the great American novel would be so dangerous?Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-45707934268760952812007-01-01T22:51:00.000-08:002007-01-01T22:54:33.780-08:00The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael PollanMichael Pollan looks at the journey from field to plate of four meals: fast food, Big organic, little organic, and hunted and gathered. What he discovers will change the way you look at eating.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-67053085322084112222007-01-01T22:44:00.000-08:002007-01-01T22:50:57.759-08:00The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Partyby M. T. AndersonAn almost surreal look at the life of a slave, Octavian, who has been raised by the Novanglian College of Lucidity as an experiment in intelligence. As he comes of age and fully realizes his situation, the Colonies are being thrust into the beginning of the Revolution.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-39603801235090021372007-01-01T22:41:00.000-08:002007-01-01T22:44:26.112-08:00Are We There Yet? by David LevithanTwo estranged brothers, one about to go to college and one in the rat race, go on a trip to Italy and find they have more in common than they think.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-2738138105516878202007-01-01T22:36:00.000-08:002007-01-01T22:41:39.266-08:00The Last Days by Scott WesterfeldA sequel to Peeps that focuses on a band made up of various young musicians, including a Peep, who find that their music has supernatural powers.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1165044064985060372006-12-01T23:19:00.000-08:002006-12-01T23:21:04.986-08:00New Moon by Stephenie MeyerBella and Edward are back in another adventure but this time Bella is on her own. That is until she discovers Jacob Black's secret.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1165043963491977392006-12-01T23:13:00.000-08:002006-12-01T23:19:23.493-08:00An Abundance of Katherines by John GreenColin is a child prodigy who wants to be a genius and has a thing for Katherines. After he is dumped by Katherine XIX, his friend Hassan convinces him to go on a road trip where he tries to discover the Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability. There's lots of footnotes but the math is optional.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1165043611410564192006-12-01T23:10:00.000-08:002006-12-01T23:13:31.423-08:00Street Pharm by Allison Van DiepenTyrone Johnson is only 16 but he's already got his life on lock. He's taken over the family drug-dealing business and everything is running smoothly. That is until someone tries to muscle in on his territory.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1163219674799166782006-11-10T20:31:00.000-08:002006-11-10T20:34:34.800-08:00How to be Popular by Meg CabotEver since Steph Landry spilled a Big Gulp on the most popular girl in school, her name has been synonymous with screwing up. But all of that is going to change now that she has found the secret to popularity.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1163219504951658822006-11-10T20:26:00.000-08:002006-11-10T20:31:44.953-08:00Give a Boy a Gun by Todd StrasserThe story of a school shooting told by those who experienced it with lots of gun and school shooting footnotes.I found it very didactic and boring.Sarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1163219173106552082006-11-10T20:14:00.000-08:002006-11-10T20:26:13.120-08:00The Genius Factory: The Curious History of the Nobel Prize Sperm Bank by David PlotzWhen The Repository for Germinal Choice was started, it was meant to be a way to breed better humans by using sperm from Nobel Prize winners to impregnate MENSA women. What actually happened to the men who donated and the women who were impregnated is much more interesting than that.An insightful look at what was Sarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1161323206329652012006-10-19T22:43:00.000-07:002006-10-19T23:05:41.876-07:00Dancing in the Void by Robert Edward LevinDr. Hubble Webster is an eccentric psychiatrist who gets caught up in a web of murder, sex and drugs that threatens his pursuit of happiness.RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1160448226524355692006-10-09T19:42:00.000-07:002006-10-19T22:43:28.310-07:00King Dork by Frank PortmanTom Henderson has varied interests: making up bands, listening to bubble-gum pop and investigating his father's life/death. In between all of this, and avoiding torture at the hands of his classmates, Tom discovers something unexpected.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1158199692008845402006-09-13T19:03:00.000-07:002006-09-13T19:08:12.010-07:00Bass Ackwards and Belly Up by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah FainWhen Harper lies to her friends about why she's not going to NYU it sets off four adventures that will change their lives forever.Like a more grown-up Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1158199431652800192006-09-13T18:57:00.000-07:002006-09-13T19:03:51.653-07:00Coraline by Neil GaimanWhile exploring one day, Coraline finds herself in an alternate, more exciting world but she decides to go home. Unfortunately her alternate mother is not letting go so easily and in order to go home, and save her real parents, Coraline must use all her skills.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1158199052287815952006-09-13T18:54:00.000-07:002006-09-13T18:57:32.300-07:00Whisper in the Dark by Joseph Bruchac Maddy likes scary stories but she never expected to live one.A fast-paced, scary thriller based on a Narragansett legend.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1157692430999934492006-09-07T22:11:00.000-07:002006-09-07T22:13:51.000-07:00Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You by Dorian CirroneWhen Kayla Callaway loses the lead in the senior ballet because of her non-balletic figure, she feels she must decide between her breasts and her passion.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1157692254675438672006-09-07T22:07:00.000-07:002006-09-07T22:10:54.676-07:00The Dashwood Sisters' Secrets of Love by Rosie BushtonDue to family tragedy, the Dashwood sisters are forced to move from their ancestral home in Sussex to the sleepy, little sailing village Norfolk. Fortunately there are cute boys there.RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1157692052794152562006-09-07T22:04:00.000-07:002006-09-07T22:07:32.806-07:00Malpractice in Maggody by Joan HessThe latest installment in the Maggody series brings a wanna-be detox retreat for the Stars to this rural Arkansas locale. Mayhem ensues.RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1156567216062441112006-08-25T21:37:00.000-07:002006-08-25T21:40:16.076-07:00Insatiable: tales from a life of delicious excess by Gael GreeneAn epic memoir of the sensuality of food and sex in New York, Europe and beyond as only the Insatiable Critic can tell it.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1155791184348801092006-08-16T21:59:00.000-07:002006-08-16T22:06:24.350-07:00Queen of Babble by Meg CabotLizzie Nichols has big mouth that frequently gets her in trouble. After her latest slip-up almost lands her would-be boyfriend in jail, she knows she has to leave. Unfortunately she's visiting him in England. Luckily her best friend is just across the Channel in France. Hilarity ensues as she navigates falling for a taken man, helping save a wedding and finishing thatSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1155790772104033722006-08-16T21:56:00.000-07:002006-08-16T21:59:32.116-07:00Twilight by Stephenie MeyerWhen Isabella Swan AKA Bella moved from sunny Arizona to rainy Forks, Washington she never expected to be happy there. That is until she meets Edward. Edward is beautiful, charming and a vampire.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1154405602873377102006-07-31T21:11:00.000-07:002006-07-31T21:13:22.873-07:00Peaches by Jodi Lynn AndersonWhen three totally different teenage girls get thrown together in Georgia peach orchard, anything can happen and it probably will.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1154405463185422482006-07-31T21:06:00.000-07:002006-07-31T21:13:41.440-07:00Charmed Thirds by Megan McCaffertyThe latest installment of Jessica Darling's story takes us to Columbia while Marcus Flutie is off at Buddhist college in California. Jessica's trials and tribulations include: falling for a married man and trying to figure out how to fund college when her parents cut her off. Hilarious and real.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1154405194305027952006-07-31T21:03:00.001-07:002006-07-31T21:06:34.306-07:00Sixteen: stories about that sweet and bitter birthday Edited by Megan McCafferty17 stories by some of the best YA writers around, including Zoe Trope, Carolyn Mackler and Steve Almond. Includes a new Jessica Darling story.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1154404995265328392006-07-31T21:03:00.000-07:002006-07-31T21:03:15.276-07:00I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally CarterThe Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women looks like your typical girls' boarding school except for one thing, they train spies! Cammie Morgan (AKA The Chameleon) is not just a student, she's the headmistress' daughter and her sophomore year is about to bring her first and possibly most dangerous mission: falling in Sarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1153281864734461502006-07-18T20:56:00.000-07:002006-07-18T21:04:24.736-07:00Party Princess & Sweet Sixteen Princess by Meg CabotVolumes VII and VII 1/2 of the Princess DiariesA musical about Genovia, student gov't debt, her boyfriend acting cold and her grandmother's bid to get her on My Super Sweet Sixteen are just some of Mia's adventures in these latest two installments.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1153281409468944082006-07-18T20:55:00.000-07:002006-07-18T20:56:49.470-07:00Confessions of a Super Mom by Melanie Lynne HauserA fun read about a divorced, stay-at-home mom who develops super powers after a horrible Swiffer accident.RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1153281304267027392006-07-18T20:52:00.000-07:002006-07-18T20:55:04.266-07:00March by Geraldine BrooksMarch tells the other side of the Little Women story, that of the March girls' father. This is a wonderfully written and compelling story of Mr. March's experience as a chaplain in the Union Army.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1153281118316000952006-07-18T20:47:00.000-07:002006-07-18T20:51:58.330-07:00Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her by Melanie RehakA well-researched and interesting history of the Stratemeyer Syndicate and their role in the creation of Nancy Drew. But the Syndicate wasn't solely responsible for the character development and popularity of Nancy Drew and documenting the other authors and influences is where is book excels.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1152256793906706052006-07-07T00:17:00.000-07:002006-07-07T00:19:53.916-07:00Sloppy Seconds by Megan McCaffertyJessica Darling is back! It's her Senior year now but she's still as angst-filled as ever. From 9/11 to deciding on a college to He Who Must Not Be Named, she definitely has her hands full.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1151548913638861462006-06-28T19:33:00.000-07:002006-06-28T19:41:53.640-07:00The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz ZafonTranslated by Lucia GravesOn the day Daniel awakes and cannot remember his deceased mother's face, his father shows him something marvelous, the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. There he finds The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax. He is so taken by the novel that he embarks on a mission to discover all he can about Julian and why a mysterious stranger Sarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1143605071689807912006-06-28T19:29:00.000-07:002006-06-28T19:33:48.813-07:00UgliesPrettiesSpecials by Scott WesterfeldWhat if you lived in a world where everyone got plastic surgery when they turned 16? Would you go along and become a Pretty or would you run away?This is an intriguing trilogy about life in the not so distant future.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1149313546275157942006-06-17T22:41:00.000-07:002006-06-17T23:02:02.940-07:00Sex Kittens and Horn Dawgs Fall in Love by Maryrose WoodDespite the racy title, this is a very chaste story. Felicia, the poet, has a crush on Matthew, the science prodigy, and decides to enlist his help for a science experiment of their own: discovering the Secret of Love. As their friends get involved it becomes more complicated than they ever imagined, and more fun.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1150521971830431882006-06-17T22:18:00.000-07:002006-09-06T22:28:40.290-07:00Just Listen by Sarah DessenAnnabel Greene appears to have it all (teen modeling gig, perfect family) but underneath the surface things are not so perfect. After being ostracized by her best friend, she hooks up with Owen, another outsider. Through music and Owen's unrelenting honesty, she is able to finally reveal her true nature.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1148441650906110402006-05-23T20:27:00.000-07:002006-05-25T19:04:28.950-07:00Mermaid Park by Beth MayallWhen Amy Rush gets to stay in Wildwood, NJ with her godmother instead of her bullying stepfather and indifferent mother and sister, she is relieved. Soon she's ecstatic because she has finagled a job at Mermaid Park. Little does she know how pivotal it will prove to be.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1147148543007937382006-05-08T21:18:00.000-07:002006-05-08T21:22:23.006-07:00Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCaffertyJessica Darling has just had her best friend move away and she is heartbroken. No one seems to understand, from her shallow "friends" to her overly critical parents. Told alternately in letters to her friend and diary entries, Jessica really finds out what it means to be herself.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1147148282283531762006-05-08T21:14:00.000-07:002006-05-08T21:32:55.796-07:00How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life by Kaavya ViswanathanThis plagiarized book is fluffy Indian-American chick-lit. I read Sloppy Firsts immediately afterwards and even though the main characters' outlooks and tone were different, it really felt like a cheap knock-off.Since the articles said the publisher thought her original idea was too "dark", I am curious if it would actually Sarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1147147869325159952006-05-08T21:10:00.000-07:002006-05-08T21:14:06.673-07:00Falcondance by Amelia Atwater-RhodesIn this sequel to Snakecharm, a young Falcon must decide between loyalty to his family or to his Wyvern princess.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1147147831211978602006-05-08T21:07:00.000-07:002006-05-08T21:11:18.336-07:00Girls For Breakfast by David YooNick Park is a Korean-American growing up in the WASPiest town in Connecticut. He loves girls, adores them but somehow he can't get them. Is it because he's Asian or is it something deeper?Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1146013684696500792006-04-25T18:03:00.000-07:002006-04-25T18:08:04.696-07:00my saucy stuffed ravioli by Cherry WhytockAngelica Cookson Potts is back and this time she's going on holiday in Italy with her family and her best friends. But something isn't quite right. Her mom seems much more "normal" than usual and is always mysteriously "out." Could she be having an affair with a gorgeous Italiano?Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1146013428017981172006-04-25T17:57:00.000-07:002006-04-25T18:03:48.026-07:00The Healing Time of Hickeys by Karen RiversHaley is about to start her senior year of high school which she is convinced will be the greatest. That is until she gets labeled "hickey girl", she gets severe chicken pox, her best friends starts dating her crush, and her hippy dad gets busted. Is this year salvageable?RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1144722579754907982006-04-10T19:25:00.000-07:002006-04-10T19:29:39.756-07:00A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl by Tanya Lee StoneTold in verse, three high school girls fall to charms of a popular senior buy only to find that he's just using them. To get back, and warn others, they write about him in the endpapers of the school library's copy of Forever.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1144722350362497712006-04-10T19:22:00.000-07:002006-04-10T19:30:11.280-07:00Are Men Necessary? by Maureen DowdNew York Times columnist Dowd takes on gender relations in a variety of settings, from politics to the mall, in an insightful, thought-provoking and funny way. You may not agree with her but she'll certainly give you something to think about.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1144722123771312742006-04-10T19:16:00.000-07:002006-04-10T19:22:03.780-07:00Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg CabotHeather Wells is a former teen pop star who is now working as an assistant director of an undergraduate dorm, I mean Residence Hall. As if dealing with being dumped by her boy-band boyfriend and rooming with his hunky, older, PI brother isn't enough, now there are girls mysteriously dying at work. Can Heather solve the mystery before another girl dies?The first in Sarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1143005016106257172006-03-21T21:12:00.000-08:002006-03-28T20:05:54.816-08:00Inexcusable by Chris LynchKeir is a good guy. Everyone says so including his childhood friend Gigi. That's why he doesn't understand why Gigi is saying he raped her. He loves her and good guys don't do things like that, right?Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1143004330953311832006-03-21T21:10:00.000-08:002006-03-28T20:05:42.193-08:00High Heels and Homicide by Kasey MichaelsAnother book in the Maggie Kelly mystery series. This time Maggie, St. Just and crew are headed to England for the filming of a movie of one of her St. Just books.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1142471896811272702006-03-15T17:14:00.000-08:002006-03-28T20:05:05.593-08:00Peeps by Scott WesterfeldPeeps are parasite positives or, for those of you not in the know, vampires. Cal is a carrier working for Night Watch. He has just tracked down the last of the girls he infected but he still has to find the girl who infected him. But something else is going on, something Cal has never seen before. Can he figure out the mystery before it's too late.Highly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3869280.post-1142317872816657522006-03-13T22:27:00.000-08:002006-03-13T22:31:19.473-08:00Best American Nonrequired Reading 2005Another great edition with an intro by Beck. One of my favorite pieces was "The Death of Mustango Salvaje" by Jessica AnthonyHighly RecommendedSarah Maehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733594625789414205noreply@blogger.com0