The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir! When sober, Jeannette's brilliant and charismatic father captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. He promised his daughter that they would build a glass castle in the desert.  Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn't want the responsibility of raising a family or holding a job.

The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless even as their children prospered.

The Glass Castle is truly astonishing -- a memoir permeated by the intense love of a peculiar, but loyal, family. Jeannette Walls has a story to tell, and tells it brilliantly, without an ounce of self-pity.

The Amanda Project

I usually don't read mysteries.  I started reading this book before I realized it was a mystery and by then I was drawn into the story and just had to finish it!  Now I am realizing that it the first of eight books!  It is quite the page turner, but I don't know if I want to commit to reading eight books! 

I am well into the book, being on page 223 out of 304, and Amanda is the subject of the book, but she has not shown up yet!  She has left clues and has brought three of her friends together.  Friends that didn't know she was friends with the others.  Quite a collection of different types of personalities! 

This book is recommended for grades 7--10, but I think adults who love mysteries would enjoy it too.

Same Kind of Different

Our book club is discussing Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore tonight at dinner at The Claddaugh Irish Pub on Mason Montgomery Road.  It is a book that causes me to have mixed feelings.  It almost makes me feel like they were using Deborah's illness to make the book famous.  But, then, that is what happened.  So, it had to be in there.  It had to be explained.

What are you reading?

I am currently reading a book that I don't particularly like. But, I do want to see how it ends. It is Before I Die by Jenny Downham. There's lots of rude language, sexual scenes and other questionable materials that I am sure parents would not be excited that their children are reading. But, I want to see how it ends. Does she finish her "list of things to do before she dies?"

Rachel's Tears: The Spiritual Journey of Columbine Martyr Rachel Scott by Darrell Scott and Beth Nimmo

I have started reading Rachel's Tears: The Spiritual Journey of Columbine Martyr Rachel Scott by Darrell Scott and Beth Nimmo. Let's face it, with a name like that, it has got to be a tear jerker! I've barely begun and I have needed the Kleenexes! Rachel was one of four children in the family, but her mother and father are divorced. Her stepfather, Larry, is a good guy and all of the adults in Rachel's life get along and try to do what is best for the children.

Imagine getting up one morning and thinking that this is a typical day and when the kids leave for school, they will come home, all safe and sound and in one piece. Then you hear the awful words about what is happening at their school. This is what Rachel's parents had to face. Fortunately, they received word from their son that he is okay, but what about Rachel?

Books! Books!! Books!!!

I have recently become aware of many books that I want to read. Here's some of them:

Mark Twain's Autobiography, Vol. 1

Rachel's Tears: The Spiritual Journey of Columbine Martyr Rachel Scott by Darrell Scott and Beth Nimmo

The Harry Dresden Files by Jim Butcher (13 Volumes!!)

Decision Points by George W. Bush

What are you thinking about reading? What do you think of my choices?

Right now I am reading Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand for my book club. It is an historical novel set during WWII. It is quite interesting. More on it when I finish the book!

End of the Year!

Our last meeting is on Wednesday, May 26, 2010!

I have a lot of books I am looking forward to this summer! Some are: Claim to Fame by Haddix, If the Witness Died by Cooney, The Fire Within by D'Lacey, Anything But Typical by Baskin and Thirteen Reasons Why by Asher.

What are you planning to read this summer?

May Meeting!

Our next meeting will be in May. Be watching for announcements for the date. Here are the books we will be reading for the May meeting:

Team 7A: Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech
Team 7B: The Teacher's Funeral by Richard Peck
Team 8A: 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Team 8B: Various books

March Meeting

Our March Meeting will be on Wednesday, March 10, 2010. Here are the books we will be reading:

Team 7A: The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley

Team 7B: Various Titles. If you missed our meeting, please see Mrs. Reed to choose a book.

Team 8A: The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John

Team 8B: Various Titles. If you missed our meeting, please see Mrs. Reed to choose a book.

February Meeting

We had our February Meeting on Wednesday, February 3rd. We discussed The Uglies, The Hunger Games, and Shooting the Moon.

The Hunger Games was by far our favorite book. What do you think about these books?