Mondays With Megan 1/27/14

Happy Monday! I took a long weekend and am back to work nice and refreshed and thank goodness, because there is a lot to be done! First and foremost, decorating the teen room for Valentine’s Day. Because, why not? And because my awesome coworker pointed me in the direction of these cute and nerdy library-themed candy heart decorations. I also need to spend some time mulling over this year’s ALA Youth Media Award Winners. And of course, I also need to get busy on my Monday Reading List!

 

 

Finished:

• Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando was quite fun. Through an exchange of emails, two young women assigned to be college roommates get to know each other. Full of the worry and excitement of leaving home for the first time, this was a charming story. This will inevitably be compared to Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, which is fair enough.
• Sabriel by Garth Nix was a little confusing and slow to start. Sabriel is the daughter of the Abhorsen, the powerful necromancer charged with keeping the dead where they belong. When he goes missing Sabriel must leave the comfort of her boarding school and venture into the Old Kingdom to find him. This is the first is a trilogy and I did not love it, but Nix is a compelling storyteller and I am confident things will pick up. I will certainly give Lirael a shot.
• The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer follows a group of people who meet at an art camp in 1974. The six teens forge a bond that lasts a lifetime. This one slowly drew me in and I ended up really liking it.
• Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg is due out in February, so I will have a review up later, but I will say it was wonderful! I loved the alternating POV and banter between Levi and Macallan.

Current Audio:

• I am so excited to have Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen in my car. Her books are so dreamy and magical.
• On Playaway I have The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith. I am a little late to the party and romances seem to be the theme…just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Currently Reading:

 

• Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis has lots going for it-it’s a dystopian book, written by a fellow Ohioan and there is a blurb on the (totally awesome) front cover by Michael Grant. I just started and hopefully I can tear myself away from The West Wing long enough to get into my book.
• The House of Secrets by Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini. This book is HUGE and the house is pretty creepy.
• Finally, I just downloaded an ARC of This One Summer, a new graphic novel by cousins Jillian and Mariko Tamaki.

On Deck:

  

Another blast of Arctic cold is heading my way. Maybe tomorrow will find me snuggled up with a book instead of at work?

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Mondays with Megan

Happy Monday, everyone. After barely working at all last week this week is going to be a real shock to the system! I’m not scared; this week is going to be awesome. I am taking a new yoga class tonight, tomorrow I have my D & D kids at the library, and Friday I am finally going to see Catching Fire. Lots to look forward to! And I have some great books to work on (and I just finished some awesome books too!) Here’s a quick look at what I have been reading:

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

Finished:

Boy, did I have an awesome reading week! Hm, lots of aliens here. Interesting.

• A Stranger Thing by Martin Leicht. This sequel to Mothership (which I LOVED) was just as much fun. This volume had more alien action, a shocking twist, and a cliffhanger ending.
• A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey. This one took my forever to get into, but once I did I found that I really liked it. In fact, I am still thinking about the characters. Regency era drama and witches!
• The Fall of Five by Pittacus Lore. I really cannot figure out why I am so hooked on this series. But, I am. Lots of action and betrayal in this latest volume and now I need the next.
• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. This fantasy series has been on my TBR list for a while. I am so happy that I finally dove in. It is terrible and lovely like The Daughter of Smoke and Bone is terrible and lovely. Make sense? Also, Mal!! Of course, in my mind he looks just like a young Nathan Fillion. Enjoy.

• Saga, vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan. This new series from native Clevelander and author of Y: Last Man is so truly bizarre that I cannot even begin to describe it. Intergalactic race wars, rocket ships made from tree, and a pair of star-crossed lovers. I loved it even more than the first volume.

Current Audio:

 

I picked up The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer on Playaway. This was an impulse pick and I am really getting into this story of enduring friendship, art, and success. It’s a nice break from all the alien madness! I just started Sabriel by Garth Nix. I have heard great things about this series and I am ready to give it a try.

Currently Reading:

The Eye of Minds by James Dashner is my Teen’s Choice pick for this month. I am about half way through and it is reminding me a little of Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker is my Random Reads pick of the month. It was a really slow start for me, but about a third of the way in the story took an interesting turn and I am anxious to see where things go. I just got an advanced copy of Gene Luen Yang’s upcoming graphic novel, The Shadow Hero. This is a re-imagining of the first Asian superhero, The Green Turtle. Finally, I am trying to get into The Coal Elf by Maria DeVivo. This was another one that was recommended by a teen reader.

On Deck:

This could change, of course, but I would like to work on my Winter TBR list, so I might pick up Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis. I also have the newest Fables sitting at home. How have I ignored it for so long?? And finally, Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender needs to be read or brought back. No more hanging out at my house!

Happy Reading!

˜Megan