Mondays with Megan-November News 11/2/15

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween. I am going to keep this post short. First, the news. I will be increasing after school activities for teens to 5 days a week. Some of these activities will be held in the teen room, others will be in one of the lower level meeting rooms. Be sure to stop in and see what we have going on!

November is NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), so all you writers out there should check out their website and get involved. The library will be hosting a NaNoWriMo discussion panel and writing event this Saturday, November, 7 10am-4pm. Come “write” in, all are welcome!

Next week is a busy week for teens at the library! There is still time to join our Skype interview with Shelley Pearsall which will take place Tuesday, November 10 at 7:15pm. For older teens preparing to take the SAT, the Princeton Review will be here Wednesday, November 11 at 7:00 pm to talk about test taking strategies and tips. Please call the library or register online for this class. If you want to skip the class and just take the test, there is still room in the SAT practice test session on Saturday, November 14. The test starts at 9:30! Be sure to register. Not interested in these events? How about a SmashBros Smashfest? Celebrate National Gaming Day on Saturday, November 21 10 am-5 pm. Sign up now so I can have brackets ready to go!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is hosted by Teach Mentor Texts. This is two weeks worth of reading and I am keeping it even shorter than usual!

Finished:

       

• Fables vol. 22: Farewell by Bill Willingham-♥♥♥♥♥. I thought this was a great wrap-up to an amazing series. Can’t wait to reread from the beginning.
• Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson-♥♥♥♥♥. A delightful and often painfully honest look at mental illness.
• Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld-♥♥♥. I was kind of meh about this one. Interesting premise and I will pick up the next volume before writing the series off.
• The Mirror World of Melody Black by Gavin Extence-♥♥♥♥. I LOVED The Universe Versus Alex Wood, so I was thrilled to have a new novel by the author.  This was another book about mental illness, and while not as amazing as his first book, it was a welcome addition. He continues to be an author to watch for me.
• Crap Taxidermy by Kat Su-♥♥♥♥. So wickedly creepy. I am fascinated by taxidermy.
• Poorly Drawn Lines by Reza Farazmand-♥♥♥♥. Weird and fun.
• Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff-♥♥♥♥♥. The second half of this novel saved it from being a 4-star rating. This is the book everyone is talking about. It was shocking and wonderful.
• The Worrier’s Guide to Life by Gemma Correll-♥♥♥♥. I can sadly relate to most of these cartoons…

Current Audio:

 

Currently Reading: (I am doing a terrible job of reading right now!)

 

Happy Reading!

~Megan

 

Mondays with Megan- Death by Chocolate, A Visit to Grandpa’s Cheese Barn, and a Bit of Light Reading 2/9/14

Good Afternoon Dear Reader! Thanks for stopping by and reading my ramblings.

In case you missed it, last week I held a Death by Chocolate program that drew about 40 teens. I love doing this program. There is quite a bit of prep work that goes into it, but it’s worth it. I played Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory as the backdrop for all of the day’s events. I had a buffet table set with crock pots of melted chocolate and a variety of things to be covered in said melted chocolate-marshmallows, graham crackers, pretzels, vanilla wafers, and bananas. I also printed up some Valentine’s Day BINGO cards and used M&Ms and markers. I am always amazed by how much everyone loves to play BINGO. Winners got mini candy bars. I had a worksheet with pictures of cross sections of well-known chocolate bars and challenged participants to identify as many as possible. I also had some chocolate covered insects on hand and dared them to be brave enough to eat one. I had 12 daring souls chewing on meal worms and crickets (gag)! Oh, and just because I could, I whipped up mini chocolate chip pancakes. We had so much fun!

I had a very busy weekend that included a stop at Grandpa’s Cheese Barn. I still can’t believe that this was my first time there! It’s like a little slice of heaven in the middle of Ohio! I only had time for some graphic novels over the weekend, but I am ahead of schedule on my new goal, so I am not fretting my current novel dry spell.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Be sure to stop by Book Journey and Teach Mentor Texts for more reading lists.

Finished:

• The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil by Stephen Collins-♥♥♥♥♥. Weird and clever and unusual. Amazing black and white illustrations.
• One Plus One by Jojo Moyes-♥♥♥♥. I’m a sucker for a good road trip story. Especially one with quirky characters!
• Mortal Coil by Derek Landy-♥♥♥♥♥. Book 5 in the Skulduggery Pleasant series is very long and very dark and super amazing!
• Revival vol. 1-3 by Tim Seeley-♥♥♥♥. Give this to your Walking Dead fans! In a small town in Wisconsin the dead won’t stay dead.

Current Audio:

• The Last American Vampire by Seth Grahame-Smith-I didn’t even know there was going to be a sequel to Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter!
• Wild Rover No More by L.A. Meyer-the final chapter in the Jacky Faber saga.

Currently Reading (though not very committed to them and will be willing to abandon if something better comes along):

Happy Reading!

~Megan

Mondays With Megan-Summer Fun 7/21/14

Last week, on the coldest day of the summer, the library hosted a Luau on the Lawn. So much fun was had! We played musical beach blankets, had a limbo contest (boy, those kids were bendy!), there was a Nerf archery contest, an Iron Chef contest, and we topped it all off with a water balloon toss and fight. Good times were had by all!

 This is just half of the balloons we had on hand! Also, how cool is it that my hibiscus got its first two blooms on the morning of our party?

This morning I gave away another fantastic basket! This week’s prize basket includes a make-your-own slushee kit, the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, cookies, candy, Chipotle coupons, and of course, books! I think it’s another fun one. You can’t win if you don’t play, so be sure to stop in and see us. We are down to our last two prize baskets, so it’s now or never.

I am still working on my Summer Reading Throwdown Challenge. I pledged to finish 12 books in July. I am on track to exceed that number. Nine down, three to go, with ten days left. No problemo!

Be sure to stop by Books Journey and Teach Mentor Texts for more great reading suggestions.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

 Finished:

• Fool Moon by Jim Butcher is the second installment of The Dresden Files. I am definitely a fan of this urban fantasy series starring a wizard and the Chicago PD.
• Landline by Rainbow Rowell is yet another fun, romantic offering from the author of Eleanor & Park and Fangirl. Big fan, here!
• The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson is the first in a steampunk-y series. It took a while for me to warm up to this one, but in the end I really liked it! Sign me up for more!
• In the Shadows by Kiersten White and Jim Di Bartolo is a unique collaboration of story and art. Both the text and the images tell the story of a secret society of immortals and the young man who is trying to stop them.

Current Audio:

I don’t ever want Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor to end. Ever. It is so beautiful and horrific. I also started That Night by Chevy Stevens, a new suspense/thriller.

Currently Reading:

I am still trying to find my next big read. You know, that book you just can’t put down? The one you think about when you aren’t reading it? These books that I am working on are fine and I am enjoying them, but I am not lost in any of them. I want to be lost! Suggestions?

Happy Reading!

∼Megan

Mondays with Megan-It’s Almost Library Luau Time! 7/14/14

Wow! It has been two full weeks since I last blogged! Since I’ve been gone we gave away two more awesome summer reading baskets. This week’s winner is taking home a tie dye kit, the movie The Outsiders, some books, candy, and more. Next week’s basket has some funky duct tape, The Big Bang Theory pens, candy, books, and more! Stop by the Reference Desk to sign up and get busy reading so you can enter the drawing!

Before I get to my own reading list, I have to mention that Wednesday, July 16 will be the second annual Luau on the Lawn at the Library. Students finishing grades 5-8 should join us at 2pm for fun games (Musical Beach Blankets and water balloon tossing, anyone?), snacks (we’ll have smoothies, watermelon, and candy), and even an Iron Chef competition. Not interested in competing? We’ll have Rainbow Looms and bands handy for you to get crafty.

Now for two weeks worth of reading to report! Be sure to stop by Books Journey and Teach Mentor Texts for more great reading suggestions.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Finished:

• The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair by Joel Dicker is a page-turner of a mystery. I couldn’t put this one down.
• The Boys in the Boat by Daniel Brown is the inspirational story of the 1936 U.S. Olympic crew team. Fantastic audio!
• In Real Life by Cory Doctorow & Jen Wang is a yet-to-be-released graphic novel about a teenaged girl and her experience with a multiplayer roleplaying game.
• Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich is the latest installment in the Stephanie Plum saga. It is exactly what I have come to expect from these novels. They are my summer fluff reading.
• The Girl With a Clock for a Heart by Peter Swanson is another mystery/thriller. It wasn’t my favorite, but the audio was engaging.
• Bad Medicine, vol. 1 by Nunzio DeFilippis is the first volume in a new graphic novel series that pairs an eccentric doctor and a NYPD detective as they investigate a seemingly impossible medical phenomenon. It was pretty good and I will be watching to see where the series goes.
• Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter is the first in a series about a camp for supernatural teens. I am still not sure how I feel about this one. I was disappointed with the world building. Mostly this was a romance with a love-triangle, set at a camp. I will most likely stop here.
• Animorphs: The Invasion by Katherine Applegate is the first in the wildly popular middle grade series. I am looking for a book that will interest my soon-to-be second grade nephew. He loves animals, music, trucks and tool. He is quite well-rounded in his interests, but doesn’t have the patience to sit for long while being read to. I’ll gladly take suggestions for books his mom can read to him!

Current Audio:

Currently Reading:

On Deck:

Happy Reading!

∼Megan

Random Reads March 2014 Out of the Easy and February in Review

It is already time for a new Random Reads, hosted by I’m Loving Books! Random.org decided that in February I should read book #31 on my TBR list, Vicious by Victoria Schwab. I absolutely loved it! You can read my full review of Vicious here. In March I will be reading Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys. This was book # 20 on my list, added June 16, 2012.

From Goodreads:

“It’s 1950, and as the French Quarter of New Orleans simmers with secrets, seventeen-year-old Josie Moraine is silently stirring a pot of her own. Known among locals as the daughter of a brothel prostitute, Josie wants more out of life than the Big Easy has to offer.

She devises a plan get out, but a mysterious death in the Quarter leaves Josie tangled in an investigation that will challenge her allegiance to her mother, her conscience, and Willie Woodley, the brusque madam on Conti Street. Josie is caught between the dream of an elite college and a clandestine underworld. New Orleans lures her in her quest for truth, dangling temptation at every turn, and escalating to the ultimate test.

With characters as captivating as those in her internationally bestselling novel Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys skillfully creates a rich story of secrets, lies, and the haunting reminder that decisions can shape our destiny.”

And just because I am a big nerd, here is my February in review:
Total Books: 16 (not too shabby for a short month!)

Read: 11
Listened: 5

Favorites: It was impossible to pick this month. I had so many amazing reads!

Cress by Marissa Meyer, Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe, Vicious by V.E Schwab, and We Were Liars by E. Lockhart were all standouts for me.

Review Written: 4

Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulburg
Avalon by Mindee Arnett
Roomies by Sara Zarr
Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Teen Programs:

Teen Tech Thursdays
Dungeons & Dragons
Teen Pizza Pagers discussed Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
High School Book Club discussed Mothership by Martin Leicht

Teen’s Choice: To read in March

The Outcasts by John Flanagan
The House of Stairs by William Sleator

Random Reads February 2014, Vicious

It is already time for a new Random Reads, hosted by I’m Loving Books! January just seemed to fly by and yet I managed to get a ton of reading and listening done, including my first ever Random Reads pick, Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker. Random.org decided that in February I should read book #31 on my TBR list, Vicious by Victoria Schwab. I added this one to the list on September 20, 2012.

From Goodreads:

“A masterful, twisted tale of ambition, jealousy, betrayal, and superpowers, set in a near-future world.

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?”

And just because I am a big nerd, here is my January in review:
Total Books: 19
Read: 15
Listened: 4

Favorites: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo and Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

Review Written: 4
Drink, Slay, Love
Small Town Sinners
Breath of Frost
The Eye of Minds

Teen Programs:
Princeton Review ACT Prep Class
Princeton Review ACT Practice Test
Dungeons & Dragons Club
Sylvan Study Skills Class

Movies Seen: (I hardly ever see movies and this month I went to two!)
Frozen
Catching Fire

Despite being ridiculously cold, January was pretty great!

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Mondays with Megan-When All the Cute Came to the Library

Over the weekend I hosted the Second Annual Critter Christmas Party with the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Over 80 people braved the weather to come and cuddle with some adorable animals. Many brought gifts from the APL’s wishlist and stayed to make a treat to take home to their own pets. Best of all, one luck pup found a forever home! Ready to see some cuteness?

The cute little guy at the end of the second row was adopted! Above him is Silent Night. I cannot believe this beautiful girl wasn’t adopted. I wish I could have taker her myself. If you are looking for a calm dog to snuggle with, she’s your girl! Someone needs to please go get her!

This event is so easy to organize. The amazing staff and volunteers to almost all the work! All I have to do is prepare a couple of simple crafts and gather some books.

The dogs go nuts for this simple, no bake treat!

Jingle bells attached to pipe cleaners keep the kittens busy!

It may not be a lot of work, but the cuteness overload left me feeling a little like this:

I wish I could use this as my excuse for not getting much reading done. Sadly, the puppies are not the reason! On the bright side, this already long post isn’t going to be much longer once I finish my It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? post.

Be sure check out more lists at Book Journey and Teach Mentor Texts

Finished:

That’s right. I finished one book and was it ever a good one! Champion, by Marie Lu is the final book in the Legend Trilogy. THIS is how you end a series. *cough unlike Allegiant cough*. There was action and suspense, betrayal and romance. There were tears. It was a wild ride and I loved it.

Current Audio:

I am so close to finishing Fin & Lady by Cathleen Schine. It is wonderful and charming, just perfect for this hectic time of year. I abandoned my previous Playaway in favor of City of Thieves by David Benioff. I am completely engrossed in this story about the Siege of Leningrad.

Currently Reading:

I just started The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michele Hodkin. The book opens with a Ouija board scene and if you have read The Diviners by Libba Bray, you know that no good comes of that. I am scared. I am still plugging away at Born of Illusion by Teri Brown and I also started an ARC of A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey about a trio of cousins in Regency London who discover a family legacy of witchcraft. So, I have the supernatural covered.

On Deck:

My next audio is Boston Jacky by L.A. Meyer. I am SO excited! After Mara Dyer, I plan to read A Stranger Thing, the much-anticipated sequel to Mothership, by Martin Leicht. I have 15 days to finish 11 books. I am a little worried!

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Mondays With Megan-Fall Fun and a Little Reading

Happy first post-daylight saving time Monday! While I do not generally enjoy the weird changing of the clocks, it is kind of nice to go to work in the daylight. I spent a lot of time this week enjoying fall activities. Last Monday was my sugar skulls program. It was so much fun and I can’t wait to do it again next year. Here are a few photos…at weird angles. I can’t seem to flip them around. My apologizes for any neck strain.

We started with a plain white skull and a few colors of royal icing. A special thanks to my sister-in-law, Amanda Plavan, for making all the skulls! Please visit her blog for pictures of her amazing sugar skulls.

The tools of the trade: sugar and icing

This one is mine!

 

The results were impressive!

The rest of my fall fun was jammed into the weekend. Rainy day reading, crock pot chili, and finally, a beautiful Sunday spent out side trailing deer and throwing acorns at trees in the Metroparks with my nephews. Despite the Saturday rainy day reading session, I have little to report this week. Does any one else notice that adult books take longer to read than YA? Is it just me? Never the less, it is time for another It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? Check out Book Journey and Teach Mentor Texts for more great lists.

Finished:

That’s all. It looks kind of sad, but both books were fabulous! The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt is the story of two hired guns in the Old West. I read a western! And really liked it! Humans of New York is a collection of photographs taken by Brandon Stanton. What started as an attempt to take a photographic census of New York, quickly became a hit blog and now a beautiful book. I love finding a new Hony photo in my Facebook feed. Check out Humans of New York, it’s truly inspiring. Even though I only have two finishes to report, I made tons of progress on my ongoing books.

Currently Audio:

Ptolemy’s Gate by Jonathan Stroud is…long. It has definitely gotten more interesting (only three discs left), but it still has not won a spot on my favorites shelf. The Eighty-Dollar Champion by Elizabeth Letts, on the other hand, has been a fun listen. I should finish today and I will be sad to say goodbye to Snowman and Harry.

Currently Reading:

I am racing against spoilers with Allegiant by Veronica Roth! So far I have been lucky, but I do know that there has been a lot of grumbling about the end. I have also seen complaints about the dual POVs. I get that. It was tricky keeping track of the POV, until about the halfway point. For me, it’s not perfect, but I am willing to suspend disbelief and just go along for the ride. I may even finish tonight. I am still working on my e-books, Iron Traitor and Born of Illusion. It’s slow going because they always take a second seat to a paper books!

On Deck:

I am so excited about what I have waiting.

My next audiobook for the car is Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and as soon as I am finished with Allegiant I am diving in to Reality Boy by A.S. King. I still have to find a new Playaway for my dog walks…decisions, decisions.

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Mondays with Megan-What Are You Reading? 10/28/13

Hello Monday! I had a busy and productive weekend and caught up on some sleep so I am uncharacteristically cheerful and excited about the week. I have a couple of fun stuff happening this week at the library. Today I am hosting a Day of the Dead program. We’ll be learning about and decorating traditional Mexican Sugar Skulls. Tomorrow is a meeting of my new D&D group. They are planning on coming in costume! I can’t wait to see them all. I am also excited to show off some of my newly acquired DM skills!

For my reading week I am looking forward to diving into Allegiant, by Veronica Roth. I couldn’t get to it last week because I was still working on House of Hades by Rick Riordan. I am still mulling that one over in my brain…

My reading pace has slowed down a bit, but I am still working my way through a giant list of books.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Be sure to visit Book Journey and Teach Mentor Texts to see what others are reading.

Finished:

I finished the second volume in the Sweet Tooth series by Jeff Lemire. The first volume was not bad and I did not have high expectations for the second. I am glad I decided to continue the series! There is so much more background information in the second volume. The series is set in a post-apocalyptic world destroyed by a plague. All of the children born after the plague are strange human-animal hybrids and no one seems to know why. It’s the kind of weird that’s right up my alley. The dogs and I walked our way through Love, Life, and Elephants by Daphne Sheldrick. I really enjoyed this memoir of a life lived with wild animals in Kenya. Finally, I finished House of Hades by Rick Riordan. I loved spending time with my favorite demi-gods and can’t wait for the final chapter of their story.

Current Audio:

I am still working on Ptolemy’s Gate by Jonathon Stroud. I was a little iffy on it last week, but the story has picked up and regained my interest. I also started The Eighty-Dollar Champion by Elizabeth Letts, continuing my nonfiction audio streak. I guess I am into true animals stories these days. Who knew?

Currently Reading:

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick de Witt is my Westerns selection for my work genre discussion group. I am also making slow progress in Born of Illusion and Iron Traitor.

Up Next:

I need to read this before I accidentally read spoilers!

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Mondays With Megan-Dungeons & Dragons and What Are You Reading 10/21/13

It’s Monday! The weather is brisk (LOVE), my freezer is stocked with homemade soups, and I am feeling motivated! For the past couple of months I have been working on a new project here at work and I am finally feeling confident and excited enough to brag a little. With the help of one very eager and knowledgeable student, I now have a Dungeons & Dragons® club at the library. We have had a few meetings now and all of my new regulars have created their characters, which, by the way, takes forever. Meanwhile, I have been frantically trying to prepare my self to run a game, or Dungeon Master. Did you know that there is a Dungeon Master for Dummies? There is. I have read it. A documentary? It’s called Dungeon Masters. Seen it! I have watched countless YouTube videos, scoured the internet for blogs and articles, and consulted with a couple of friends for advice. I bought my own set of manuals and have added a set of dice to my list of things to buy. I am all in! While D&D and I are about the same age, this epic role-playing game wasn’t even on my radar until a few years ago when I read Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern. In the book the main character is looking for a new group of friends and she finds acceptance with a group of gamers. After reading it was inspired to gather a couple of friends and see what the fuss was all about. I made a character, had a few adventures, and that was the end of it..until now. Last Friday I was finally called up to lead a campaign. I was not ready. I made some mistakes. The kids had an AWESOME time. I learned that the rules are important, but not everything and the players are very forgiving. I will eventually get the hang of things. I am even confident that I will eventually be a really good DM. In the meantime, I am just going to relax, have fun, and let the roll of the dice guide me. That’s the good news. The not so good news is that my obsession with D&D seems to have cut into my reading time…

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

 hosted by Book Journey and Teach Mentor Texts

Finished:

Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini was a book club choice. I thought it was interesting glimpse into the lives of both Mary Todd Lincoln and Elizabeth Keckler. It was not a page-turner, but I enjoyed it and we had quite the lively discussion. I also finished listening to The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefater, the second book in the Raven Boys Cycle. I loved it! While Gansey still holds the group together, Ronan, and a new character called the Gray Man steal the show in this book. And now the long wait for book 3 begins…

Current Audio:

I am almost finished with Life, Love and Elephants by Daphne Sheldrick. I also started Ptolemy’s Gate by Jonathan Stroud. This has not been my favorite series, but I do enjoy the reader of the audio. I am also on a mission to wrap up series.

Currently Reading:

 

Can you believe that I haven’t finished House of Hades yet? I am a bit surprised myself. It’s so good and I am savoring it in small bits. I also started The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa and Born of Illusion by Teri Brown.

Abandoned for Now:

Monsters by Ilsa Bick is just not working for me right now. I will try again later.

Up Next:

I am not sure what I am going to do when I get home from work tomorrow and tear open my copy of Allegiant. Will I set Percy and gang aside? Will I try to juggle both? Also, I really need to get cracking on my book club book. We are reading Westerns and I picked The Sisters Brothers by Patrick de Witt. So many books…so little time (and too many awesome tv shows).

Happy Reading!

˜Megan