Peeps

Tired of your standard teen vampire romance? Good, because this is not it.

Peeps is however, freaky as all get out. Basically vampirism is caused by a really freaky parasite (and you learn plenty about other parasites in the book). The main character vampire is a "good" vampire and he works for a secret agency to keep the wild vampires under control.

Listen, I can't adequately explain this book without giving it all away, but it did freak me out. If you're squeamish, don't read it. If you're sensitive to any talk of sex, don't read it (it's not explicit or anything, they just talk about sex as a method for transferring the parasite). If you want a different take on all of this crappy vampire romance that's around these days, give it a try. I read it in a day and it was pretty good. I didn't love the ending and it wasn't perfect, but it was enjoyable.

Currently reading...1776 and The Book Thief

I feel like I have not blogged in awhile so I thought I would give an update on the books I am reading. It seems that I keep starting them, getting half way through, and then something comes up and I do not finish. Over break, I started 1776 and The Book Thief and am almost done with at least one of them. I got the book recommendation from Ginger for The Book Thief and she is right, it is really good. The opening hooks you right away, and although there are some parts that are a little slow, there is enough changes in the plot that keeps you interested. I really like it so far.

Audiobooks

As I was working scrubbing for cleaning checks and then when I was on the plane home I listened to The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night Time. It was a good book that I enjoyed (not for kids or anything), but I'm wondering what the general opinion is about audiobooks? Does it count as reading? Do you ever listen to them?

The Book Thief

I don't have much to say about this book except, go read it. Get yourself on the waiting list or buy it or whatever, but read it. It's beautiful.

You will cry. It's just going to happen.

Glimpse

I started this book last night and I finished it last night. I'd read another of this author's book over the summer (The Chosen One) which was extremely creepy and dramatic. Same with this one.

This is a dark book. It's one of those ones written in poem style. I think the writing was pretty good, but I had the plot figured out not far in. It was interesting still to read along as the main character figured out what was happening. Glimpse was emotional, but not so much that I was pulled in and cried or anything like that. I want to re-emphasize how dark this plot is because it's not appropriate in the elementary school classroom, even upper elementary. Without telling you much of the plot (because I don't want to spoil it), the book starts with the older sister holding a gun to her head and contemplating suicide. Yeah...wait until later middle school or high school for this one, but it's a good read for a teacher.

Provo Library Book Sale

On November 20th, I was able to attend the Provo Library book sale. If you are a Friend of the Library, members get in at 9am instead of 10am, so of course I signed up. As I walked over to the event at 9am, I saw crowds of people rush through the doors to get to the book sale in the basement. Naturally, I started to run with them. When I got in, I saw hundreds of books organized by fiction, nonfiction, movies, young adult books, pictures books, etc. I went straight for the young adult chapter books because I hope to teach the older grades. All of these books were $.50 each in really good condition. There were some very popular titles like Artemis Fowl, The Lightening Thief, Inkheart, Eragon, Shannon Hale books, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Magic Tree House, Harry Potter, Twilight, Newberry books, and many more. By the end of it all, I dragged my box full of 66 books and check out only spending $33 for these hard copy books. I highly recommend this book sale to anyone looking for a good read at a cheap prince. The most expensive items were $1.50. The next event will be February 19th, 2011. Recommendation- Bring a big bag to carry your books in if you are like me and buy a lot.

Matched

At the beginning of our Teaching Reading & Language Arts class this semester, our teacher told us about a book that would be coming out that was supposedly hailed as the "next Hunger Games." My interest was, of course, piqued and so I wrote a note in my planner about it on the day that it would be released. That book was Matched by Ally Condie.

The book was released yesterday (November 30), and I immediately went to Borders to buy it. I was desperate for something new to read and I figured if it was the next Hunger Games, it would probably be something right up my alley. I am not ashamed to admit that I read it all in one day.

Overall, the book was good. It's well-written, descriptive but not overwhelmingly so. It's a pretty easy and quick read, so its good for just curling up on your couch and reading when you have a couple minutes to spare.

It is very Hunger Games-esque. Futuristic society where the government controls pretty much everything. The main character, Cassia (Cassia...Katniss...Cassia...Katniss...hmmmm), lives her life by the rules of the Society and doesn't think too much about it. After her 17th birthday, she is called to her Matching ceremony where she will be shown the picture of the person she has been Matched with by the Society. The Society Matches people for genetics, to create a strong, healthy race of people.

The story goes on and develops a love triangle, which is where it really starts to sound like the Hunger Games. One of the boys is blonde with blue eyes, the other has dark hair, dark skin, and darker eyes. One of the boys loves to be in the forest, the other, not as much. Its an interesting storyline and plot and does make for a very good read. Katniss--I mean, Cassia, eventually gets tied up in a bit of rebellion against the Society not by her doing, and must make a choice if she will follow the rules of the Society and choose to be with her Match, or if she will go against them and choose the other man. I won't tell you which one she picks, but we'll just say it wasn't the one I was rooting for--which, in all fairness, may have tainted my opinion of the book.

I would recommend it to others (not as highly as the Hunger Games) if they're looking for something that has followed the trend of young adult fiction these days. Like I said, its well-written and has a good storyline (and its going to be a trilogy, did I mention that?).

My rating: 6.5/10