Mondays with Megan-School is in Session and I am Back on the Blog! 8/31/15

Hello and Happy Monday! As you may have noticed my two weeks of vacation turned into three weeks of not blogging. Now that school has started again and I have packed my weekly schedule with tons of after school programs this seems like the *perfect* time to turn some attention to my neglected blog. *Sigh*

I am super excited about all the new after school programs we are offering this year. On Tuesdays I will be hosting an open lab in our state of the art computer training center. The large screen computers are perfect for playing games and Minecraft! This Wednesday will be the first meeting of the Library Literati, a new group for fans of all things bookish. Thursdays will be the Teen Scene. I’ll be flipping pancakes and have a casual activity available each week. This week’s activity will be Lego building challenges. No need to register, just stop in after school!

I had an amazing trip out west to visit my sister and her family (including my adorable new nephew). I woke up every morning to mama cows yelling outside the windows. We camped in Custer National Forest, did a day trip to Yellowstone, and spend many hot afternoons sitting in the creek on the farm. It was so relaxing and busy at the same time. I hardly did any reading, which was fine, but it turned into a slump when I returned home. In three weeks I have only finished six books and three of them were audiobooks!

Finished:

• Unhinged by A.G. Howard- ♥♥♥. This second book in the Splintered trilogy has Alyssa trying to deal with Morpheus on her own turf. Wonderland is in trouble, but if Alyssa returns she will be in danger. If she stays Jeb and her family will be in danger. I am enjoying this series, but was disappointed to find that the last book is not available on audio. I suppose I will have to use my eyes to find out how things end!
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling-♥♥♥♥♥. Three of my nephews are finally old enough to be reading Harry Potter for the first time! I am loving revisiting these beloved books.
• Among the Ten Thousand Things by Julia Pierpont-♥♥♥♥. This debut novel tells the story of a family falling apart. Jack and Deb’s marriage is already rocky when an anonymous package arrives detailing all of Jack’s dirty little secrets. To make matters worse, his children were the first to discover the box. The cover quote saying it’s the funniest book ever is totally misleading. This one is not for the young reader.
• Rocket Girl by Brandon Monclare-♥♥♥. This is the first volume of a new graphic novel series featuring a teen cop from the future who is sent back in time to 1986 to prevent a future disaster. The time line is a little wonky and hard to get used to, but the gadgets are cool and the characters are interesting. I will watching for more!
• Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson-♥♥♥♥♥. I finally took the plunge and started a new fantasy series. In a world covered with ash and ruled by an immortal god known as the Lord Ruler, one man has made it his life’s mission to destroy the final empire. At his side is a band of rebels and a street urchin who is unaware of the powers she possesses. This is an exciting opener to the series. Strong world building, well-developed characters, political intrigue, and a unique take on magic. In the world of the final empire magic is derived from metals. I dove into book two this morning!

Current Audio:

• The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson. I decided to dive right into book two of The Final Empire series.
• The Diviners by Libba Bray. I am rereading (first time listening) in preparation for Lair of Dreams.

Currently Reading:

• Pretending to Be Erica by Michelle Painchaud.
• A Madness so Discreet by Mindy McGinnis

DNF:

• The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. I don’t know why I didn’t click with this one. I gave up when it took a turn towards The Selection.

Happy Reading!

~Megan

Vacation Time-See You When School Starts! 8/7/15

Hello All!

I have had a busy week trying to juggle work and G.I.S.H.W.E.S and plan for my vacation. Ok, fine, I have completely ignored the fact that I need to get ready for vacation. My yard is full of weeds, my dog is no longer speaking to me, and I haven’t done any household tasks in a week, but I have had a blast working with my team. I can’t wait to be allowed to share some of our tasks with you (it’s against the rules to share during the hunt). I think this photo of the host and creator, Misha Collins, wearing a suit made of cheese says it all. Or maybe it leaves you even more confused. That’s normal and ok.

It’s a long drive to from Ohio to Montana so I will have plenty of time to read and listen to books. I’ll let you know what I take with me when I get back. Enjoy the rest of your summer and I’ll meet you back here in a couple of weeks!

Happy Reading!

~Megan

Mondays with Megan-The End of Summer Reading-8/3/15

Hi All! Today was the drawing for the last summer reading basket. I can’t believe how fast that went! I had a record number of participants-207 teens. They read a combined 399 books and magazines. Now the back-to-school countdown begins. I am actually pretty excited about all the things I have planned for fall. You can find out all the plans at the library’s Back to School Breakfast Bar. We’ll have pancakes and waffles and all sorts of toppings. We’ll play games and talk about all the fun upcoming library programs.

I got a lot of reading/listening in last week, which is good because this week I am busy with G.I.S.H.W.E.S and next week I am on vacation! Check out what I’ve read:

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.

Finished:

• A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman-♥♥♥♥♥. Ove (pronounces Oova) is a gruff and grouchy man, but behind his curmudgeonly exterior is a sweet and sad story. His story slowly unfolds when new neighbors move in next door and disrupt is strict and orderly routine. I loved this book so, so, much. It’s sweet and quirky and sad. I laughed, I cried, and then started recommending it to anyone who would listen.
• The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black-♥♥♥♥. In the town of Fairfold humans and fairies coexist, making the town a tourist stop. The main attraction is the horned boy locked in endless sleep in a glass coffin. Hazel and her brother Ben have always loved the boy. When he disappears, a strange and deadly chain of events is set into motion. I am not usually a fan of fae stories, but Holly Black is a master.
• Fables vol. 21, Happily Ever After by Bill Willingham-♥♥♥♥. This is the penultimate volume of the series and story lines are getting wrapped up. Don’t worry, things aren’t wrapping up in a nice tidy manner! Things are pretty brutal and grim and the stage is set for one last epic battle.
• These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly-♥♥♥♥. It’s the Gilded Age in New York City and Josephine Montford is a young aristocrat destined to make a good match for marriage, when her father dies from an accidental gunshot. With his death, Jo’s world begins to crumble. With the help of a dashing reporter and a medical student who works at the morgue, Jo sets out on a dangerous path to discover the truth behind her father’s death. I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this book, which is due out in October. I really enjoyed the ending, but my one complaint is that fact that this book is really long. Unnecessarily long. It kind of dragged in the middle.
• Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson-♥♥♥♥. Another totally weird graphic novel! Five best friends at camp keep stumbling upon strange things in the woods-strange three-eyed foxes, yetis guarding a tower, and a weird neighboring boys camp. Will the Lumberjane scouts figure out what in the world is going on? You won’t find out in this first volume, but you’ll want to know!

Current Audio:

Currently Reading:

Happy Reading!

~Megan