Officially Switched to Wordpress

Okay, everyone! This is no longer the site of my blog. You can find my active blog at:

http://www.booksandbooksand.wordpress.com

Have a good day!

The Blog Will Be Moving

Hello book readers!

A few months ago I started this blog and sort of ran with it. I loved it then and I still love it now. Don’t worry! This isn’t a break up letter or something. But it is a notification of a giant change to happen relatively soon.

I love Blogger. I mean: I love it, but that love is partially due to the fact that I haven’t used any other blogging platform (Tumblr doesn’t count) in great excess. There are a lot of people who love, love, love Wordpress, so I decided to go on and see what all the hullabaloo is about… and it’s certainly earned. I think you guys probably know where I’m going with this.

The blog is moving on over to Wordpress sometime in the near future. Probably the next few days depending on time vs. things I need to do. It won’t change anything too much for you, but it will make things a heck of a lot easier for me, so I hope you’re all right with dealing with my indecisiveness for now.

If you’re following via Feedburner (RSS), not to worry, you’re already good to go. If, however, you’re following through Blogger or just visiting the website it’s a little different for you. (Should you choose to read still, that is. And I hope you do!) I’ll include some links below that you can visit.

Thank you guys for being so patient with me and this situation in general. I’m currently in the process of getting everything all set up over on Wordpress so that when I do officially move it’s as quick and painless as possible.

The blog can be located at booksandbooksand.wordpress.com. Right now it shows as private (because I’m still tweaking it), but will be available soon.

Click here to go to the new blog. (Not currently open for viewers.)
Click here to view the blog feed.
Click here to subscribe via Email. This will carry over to the new blog.

Again, thanks for the patience and hopefully understanding the change. Perhaps I’ll explain it further in a bit.

In My Mailbox (6)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme started/hosted by The Story Siren in which bloggers share the books they buy, borrow, and receive. Click here to learn more!

To college student, Katie Brandt, ‘Home for the Holidays’ sounds like hell. When her parents separated, their holiday traditions shattered like a dropped ornament. What could be worse than celebrating Christmas with her suddenly single mom and mom’s new boyfriend?

Alex Walker, an engaged 20-year-old, dreads going home for his own reasons. He has a daunting task ahead of him and wishes he could skip the holidays altogether. So when a friend of a friend needs a ride north, Alex finds that having beautiful Katie seated by his side proves to be just the distraction he needs.

A simple ride home for Christmas turns into a nightmare when light snow rages into a full-scale blizzard. Katie and Alex find themselves stranded, and a vacant cabin becomes a haven from the storm.
Under different circumstances, time alone with Alex would be the ultimate Christmas gift, but Katie knows Alex is engaged and she must hide her growing attraction.

However, Alex harbors a secret that just might change this holiday from the worst Christmas ever, to the best.

It was an impulsive decision to get this. I had seen it on Goodreads but didn't think too much about it, but then I saw someone talking about it on their blog and decided to give it a shot. This will be my first encounter with the "New Adult" genre, so that's interesting. We'll see.

(I just wanted to add that I've read other books that would probably be considered New Adult, but this is my first time reading something with that specific title.)

Review: Dash and Lily's Book of Dares - Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Opening Sentence: "Imagine this: You're in your favorite bookstore, scanning the shelves."
Author Website (Cohn and Levithan) | Goodreads | Amazon

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Oh me, oh my. Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares was so adorable and I can’t believe it took me so long to read it. I really feel like this book is under hyped. Sure, if you’re an avid reader or already a Cohn and/or Levithan fan you’ve surely heard of it, but that’s not enough for something I enjoyed so dearly. (Okay, fine I’m being biased. I just really think the knowledge of this book should be spread more and into a wider audience.)

I don’t know why, but before I started reading I was expecting this book to be really cutesy and sort of… unrealistic like a holiday made-for-TV movie. While it is cute it doesn’t overdo it. In fact, I think it’s a good balance of cute with everything else. And the writing is wonderful. I’ve found that sometimes when there’s more than one author you can plainly distinguish who wrote what, and not in a good way. That’s not a problem at all in this book. The author’s voices morphed together and everything flowed wonderfully.

And the characters… oh, man, the characters. I don’t think there’s one character in this book I didn’t like. Obviously there’s characters that I was like “Oh, my god, go away!” over, but it was so well done that they were fantastically dislikable. (Yeah, I know.) And as for the characters I did like, they were fantastic too. The characters are so well written in this book it’s insane. You have your snarky people, your smartasses, hyper people, wise people, chill people, crazy people… et cetera.

Can I give a special shout out to Sophia for being so freaking awesome? The way she was being described by people in the book you wouldn’t expect it, but she was unerringly wise and I dug it. I also want to mention the WashingtonSquareMommies, who were too crazy to handle and made the story more interesting. I hate them, but they’re great.

In case you didn’t notice: I really loved this book. In fact, I’m currently thinking about buying it and making it a tradition to read it every holiday season. I had never really read anything with a plot quite like this, so it was a breath of fresh air. And even if I start finding more books with the same type of plot I will always come back to Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares… because it was my first. (Hah, coooorny!)

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Review: Messenger - Lois Lowry

Opening Sentence: "Matty was impatient to have the supper preparations over and done with."
Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon

For the past six years, Matty has lived in Village and flourished under the guidance of Seer, a blind man, known for his special sight. Village was a place that welcomed newcomers, but something sinister has seeped into Village and the people have voted to close it to outsiders. Matty has been invaluable as a messenger. Now he must make one last journey through the treacherous forest with his only weapon, a power he unexpectedly discovers within himself.

Okay, so here we go. I was going to try not to compare this book to the first two in the series, but it’s so hard considering they’re connected. The books are all in the same series, sure, but I feel like they’re in different subcategories from one another. They’re all dystopian, but the first one (The Giver) is more realistic than the second one, (Gathering Blue), which ushers in more magical elements, and then Messenger is some sort of full-blown fantasy.

I’m still trying to understand the magical elements. There were so few magical things happening in The Giver that when Gathering Blue started taking on that tone I was a little surprised. Now, Messenger has gone full on fantasy with people who have special “talents”, forests that fight back (no, really), and the ability to sell off the most precious intangibles individuals have.

Alas, I don’t understand it, but perhaps that’s a good thing. No one in the story understood how any of this could happen, but they flowed with it. It brought me closer to the characters because I felt like I was just as clueless as everyone else. How does someone sell his or her “deepest self”? No idea, but apparently it’s possible.

I love the story of Village. It’s wonderful grounds for a story on morals. Once upon a time the people of Village fled from their cruel, unfair, et cetera cities and found themselves in a Utopia dedicated to kindness and helping people with anything and everything they may need. Village was a safe place where you could go to start over and be happy. But something started to happen. The happy people saw what they had and decided they wanted more. So they got crazy, sold a bunch of stuff, and the forest freaked out and started killing people. The End.

But of course that’s not the end. The story of Village and Forest is just one part of Matty’s story. His happens to be one I appreciate more than Kira’s (Gathering Blue) or even Jonas’s (The Giver). I’ve been staring at my ceiling for, like, ten minutes trying to figure out how to explain how much I love Matty’s character. He was once something of a menace, but in this book he grew so much. He always had a very caring personality, but it quadrupled and I don’t think he even realized it. He was always thinking about using his gift to help people without batting an eyelash at how it would inconvenience him. God, I love Matty.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It totally made up for whatever Gathering Blue was lacking and it made me pretty excited to read the last book in the quartet. You should totes (totes?) read it… or don’t. (Your loss!)

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Top Ten Tuesday (2): New-to-Me Authors of 2012

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish to facilitate list sharing. This week's topic:

Top 10 New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2012:

(In no real order)

1. John Green: I know. I know… I'm so late to everything. I read Looking for Alaska in January and loved it, then started reading his other books. It's weird because I watched his videos occasionally. I just didn't read his novels. Oh, well. Better late than never, right? (I just noticed I read Will Grayson, Will Grayson in mid-2011. Oopsies.)
2. Stephanie Perkins: I discovered the wonderfulness that is Anna and the French Kiss because I needed something to read while on vacation. I LOOOVED it and really want to get my paws on more stuff by Miss Perkins. (I read Lola and the Boy Next Door, too. By “more stuff” I mean the third book in the companionship.)

3. Laurie Halse Anderson: I actually think I read Speak when I was in my early teens, but I can’t remember so on the list Laurie Halse Anderson goes. I read Wintergirls (finally!) not too long ago and loved it. So good.
4. Gayle Forman: Oh, Mia. Oh, Adam! Oh, oh, oh.
5. Sarah Ockler: I saw Twenty Boy Summer at the library and picked it up because I thought the cover was interesting. I haven’t read anything more by Sarah Ockler, but I’m definitely planning on it.
6. Nina LaCour: I know Nina LaCour’s first novel was Hold Still but I was introduced to her by The Disenchantments and then I read Hold Still. Both are very good books that I absolutely recommend.

7. Lauren Oliver: I heard people talk and talk and talk about Before I Fall until I finally cracked and just read the book. I liked it and am planning on reading her Delirium series sometime in the near-ish future.
8. Jay Asher: My sister-in-law kept talking about Thirteen Reasons Why being suchanamazingbook!, so of course I obtained a copy and got reading.
9. Cassandra Clare: If you read my blog you know how recently I started reading Cassandra Clare’s work. And also how much I like Clockwork Angel.
10. Suzanne Collins: The Hunger Games. That’s all.

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs

Opening Sentence: "I had just come to accept that my life would be ordinary when extraordinary things began to happen."
Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

I was so attracted to Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children from the get-go, even before I had an inkling as to what it’s about. Vintage photos and a novel together? YA and photography as one? Yes, absolutely! I had never heard of anything like it and that made it all the more appealing. (Let me know if you know of anything similarly awesome.)

Even after I read the jacket on the book I hadn’t the faintest what to expect from this novel. I was let off thinking maybe the peculiar children were dangerous and, I don’t know, murderous or something. I was steeling myself for something much darker than what I ultimately read. Don’t get me wrong! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and am absolutely planning to read the next one when it comes out.

I’ve always thought it’s probably pretty difficult to create something with both “horror” aspects and children and not make the children either extremely helpless or super evil. I guess when you have eighty-year-old children it’s a different story, because Ransom Riggs seems to have succeeded in the venture. The children in Miss Peregrine’s home have been alive for years, but look and act like children still. Even so, they were brave and mature when they needed to be and, in the case of the older kids (I’m talking teenagers as opposed to younger kids), had no problem stepping up to the plate when the events in the story became more challenging. It would have been so easy for Riggs to claim that in all the years these people have been alive they haven’t matured at all, but he didn’t and I’m so grateful for it.

The main character, Jacob, did some growing up himself and had to make rather difficult decisions along the way. His character development was wonderful. In a way this story was slightly “coming-of-age” because he started out as an irritable and scared teenager who, by the end, was stronger, wiser, and ready to face life, whatever it may throw at him… in other words: more of an adult.

Okay, so now what? The story ended on a cliffhanger that leaves just about anything open to happen in the next book. I saw somewhere Ransom Riggs said the next book will be out some time in 2013, so you’d better believe I’m going to jump on it when it surfaces. As for the first installment, I was terrifically impressed and happy that I read it (and liked it). Riggs’s writing style is unique, funny, and gripping and I’m beyond excited to read other novel by him. Until then, I hope to have this one sitting on my bookshelf sometime in the near future.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

In My Mailbox (5)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme started/hosted by The Story Siren in which bloggers share the books they buy, borrow, and receive. Click here to learn more!

1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
2. The Innocents (The Innocents #1) by Lili Peloquin
3. Possession (Possession #1) by Elana Johnson
4. City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare
5. Matched (Matched #1) by Ally Condie
6. The Diviners (The Diviners #1) by Libba Bray
7. Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle
8. Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
9. iZombie, Vol. 1: Dead to the World by Chris Roberson

I somehow managed to pick up a ton of books that belong to several different series. It was totally unintentional, but then again, so was picking up more than just The Diviners. I always feel compelled to grab as much as I can hold when I'm at the library. I'm sure I would have brought home more had the library not been closing.

Review: City of Bones - Cassandra Clare

Opening Sentence: "'You've got to be kidding me,' the bouncer said, folding his arms across his massive chest."
Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

I had just finished Clockwork Angel and was anxious to continue with that series when I saw the film trailer for City of Bones and got excited to read the book. I’m a late starter when it comes to book series, obviously. (I didn’t read the Twilight Saga until Twilight was a movie, and I’m admittedly still working on the Harry Potter books.)

I wasn’t sure how I’d like the book because there’s a lot of talk about The Infernal Devices being better than The Mortal Instruments, but it was fine. I liked the story in City of Bones. It was engaging and kept me going, though I don’t think there was anything that was really “wow!” about it. (Well, maybe a couple things…. There’s a “spoilers” section at the bottom of the post.) It wasn’t predictable, but I wasn’t surprised by very much that happened. I said, “I should have guessed that.” more than once while I was reading. Also, this isn’t a comparison between Clockwork Angel and City of Bones, but did anyone else notice some small similarities between the two in terms of characters and such? Are all Shadowhunter love interests programmed to be cocky, sarcastic, and prone to innuendos?

I love Cassandra Clare’s writing style. She’s brilliant at effortlessly sliding in humor to an otherwise heavy book. Her characters tend to be witty and strong (even in their weaknesses) and I’ve noticed they never have severely one-track minds as some fictional characters sometimes do. “But Lisa! Isn’t it human to focus on one thing?” Uh, yeah, it is… but it’s also human to have other things going on inside your head. No one is ever so enveloped in something that everything else falls away completely. We have front burners and back burners, middle burners et cetera. Clary is thinking about her mom’s disappearance, but also Simon, Jace, Luke, her true identity, and just life in general.

ETA: I was looking over the synopsis on a few websites and I was taken by one thing. I feel like every description of this book talks about how much of a jerk Jace is, but I honestly don't feel like he deserves the bad rap people are giving him. We all have our moments, and though Jace is conceited and very sure of himself I don't feel like it's so bad that he starts seeming unlikable. Perhaps I need to continue reading the books to see it more? I don't know.

All in all it was well worth the read and I’m super stoked to continue on and see what on Earth is going on in this series.

Spoilers here: click to show/hide

Oh, my god. Hold on just a minute. Clary and Jace are siblings?! For real or is this some weird manipulative gesture by Valentine that’s causing a whole bunch of trouble? (Don’t answer any of those questions, please.) I’m not sure how I feel about this particular plot twist. It was completely unexpected and confusing. I’m a tad upset about it because I really liked the idea of Jace and Clary being a thing, but at the same time it opens a lot of possibilities for them to have a great brother/sister relationship, and that appeals to me. She kissed her brother though… like passionately kissed him, and that’s a little awkward. I’m not going to lie.
Perhaps this leaves an opening for Simon? Simon is totally in love with Clary, but it takes two to tango. And while I do think Clary is realizing how good of a choice Simon is (allegedly) she’s not quiet there enough to make it a relationship.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Top Ten Tuesday (1): Please and Thank You, Santa

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish to facilitate list sharing. This week's topic:

Top 10 Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing Me:

(In no real order)

1. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
3. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen (and other books by her that I don't have yet!)
4. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
5. Hold Still by Nina LaCour
6. Looking for Alaska by John Green
7. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
9. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
10. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

In My Mailbox (4)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme started/hosted by The Story Siren in which bloggers share the books they buy, borrow, and receive. Click here to learn more!

Every morning, A wakes in a different person’s body, a different person’s life. There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

David Levithan has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A’s world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day.

I got a digital copy of Every Day by David Levithan a couple days ago. I actually wasn't too interested until my sister's book club chose it to be read this month. I haven't started it yet, but it sounds pretty interesting, so we'll see.

Review: Where She Went - Gayle Forman

Opening Sentence: "Every morning I wake up and I tell myself this: It's just one day, one twenty-four hour period to get yourself through."
Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future--and each other.

Fair warning: I have no idea what I want to say about this book, so this will probably be extremely jumbled.

I didn’t read the synopsis for Where She Went and had no idea what was going to happen in it, so I was surprised when I realized it was being told from the perspective of Adam instead of Mia. It was a good surprise though, because we got so little of Adam in If I Stay that it wasn’t really shown what a great character he is. And he is a great character. I spent probably 95% of this novel feeling depressed for him and the other 5% hoping for the best even though sometimes he’s a bit of a jackass.

(As in If I Stay) Where She Went takes place mostly within just a day or two. I love it when books have a short timeframe because it forces them to keep the story going, going, going. There’s only so much that can happen in a day. There’s the problem of sometimes trying to fit too much into a few hours, but this book doesn’t suffer from it. It reads sort of like an “A Day in the Life” feature, except amped up by past love and frequent anger.

I’m extremely impressed with Where She Went. I’ve run into too many sequels that fell flat. I was so happy to find I liked the second book a tad more than the first book. I enjoyed them both, but I feel like Where She Went has that extra sort of oompf! that If I Stay doesn’t and it’s simply satisfying in a way only an ending can be.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Review: If I Stay - Gayle Forman

Opening Sentence: "Everyone thinks it was because of the snow."
Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon

Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones. Stay true to her first love--music--even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?
Then, one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.

This novel was short and sweet and absolutely wonderful. The topic is extremely heavy and I figured the whole book would be too, but it wasn’t as depressing as I assumed. Don’t get me wrong, I cried at one point, but there’s a difference between “dark” and “sad”. I liked this novel from the moment I started reading it, and that’s saying something.

If I Stay is so short, about 200 pages in my version, that I was wondering how on Earth everything that needed to happen would happen in such a relatively small amount of time. Again, it’s short and sweet, but gets the point across splendidly and without the backstory on that one aunt that kind of makes an appearance but not really but is still “totally vital to the story” for xyz reason. (That can also be known as “fluff” if you don’t like run-on sentences.) I honestly think the book may have dragged had it been any longer.

I truly enjoyed reading about the characters in this book. I felt like they were all unique even in their similarities and all the personality traits come so easily and subtly that you know they’re there without ever noticeably acknowledging them. The one instance of this I have in mind is Mia being somewhat prejudiced in her view of music styles and the people who like them. She states more than once that she’s uncomfortable in certain circumstances and feels out of place for reasons that are sometimes based on something other than actual experience. She is quick to assume people are too different from her (and she from them) to get along with and that makes her all the more human. It’s a wonderful touch.

At the beginning (it’s a breakfast scene) I was wondering if Mia’s family was supposed to be a depiction of a “typical” well functioning family or if Forman corned it up a bit too much. The way they talked and interacted didn’t ring completely realistic to me and as a whole they seemed like the stereotypical romanticized families you see in holiday TV movies. Perhaps Forman was trying to spotlight the good things in the family and I’m just getting the wrong idea, but even the Cleavers (and other 50s/60s sitcom families) are getting a run for their money with the Hall family.

Other than the “corny family moments” thing I have nothing bad to say about this novel. I enjoyed it a lot and hope to eventually have it sitting on my bookshelf. I’m extremely excited to see what’s up with the next book in the series, Where She Went.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme started/hosted by The Story Siren in which bloggers share the books they buy, borrow, and receive. Click here to learn more!

I'm so pleased I only got two books this week, because I'm pretty backed up as far as reading goes.

My library happened to have If I Stay on their shelf so I checked it out. I do have it on my Kindle, but when I can read a hard copy I do.

Also, City of Bones is one I'm really excited to read. I read Clockwork Angel not too long ago and I was going to move onto Clockwork Prince, but I wanted to backtrack and read The Mortal Instruments series because it came out first... and because City of Bones is being made into a movie right now. I know it's not coming out for some time, but whatever.

Sorry for any typos or weird anything in this post. I'm currently half asleep and getting sleepier. (Need. Sleep. Now.)

I'd love to know what books you got this week!

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher

Opening Sentence: "'Sir?' she repeats."
Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon

Clay Jensen doesn't want anything to do with the tapes Hannah Baker made. Hannah is dead, he reasons. Her secrets should be buried with her.
Then Hannah's voice tells Clay that his name is on her tapes--and that he is, in some way, responsible for her death.
All through the night, Clay keeps listening. He follows Hannah's recorded words throughout his small town…
…and what he discovers changes his life forever.

I’ve been hearing and continue to hear wonderful things about Thirteen Reasons Why. One of the reasons it took me so long to finally read it is because I was concerned with the hype being greater than the book. I don’t think the book lived up to the image I conjured for it (based on what people were telling me), but I enjoyed reading it none-the-less.

One of my favorite things about the whole book was how much of it was Hannah talking on the tapes. I figured there would be more Clay and less Hannah and that sort of turned me off (because it’s her story, after all), so I was stoked to find out it’s actually the other way around. That’s not to mention how awesome of an idea this book was in general. Hannah’s tapes are so descriptive and unforgiving… and long that I sometimes forgot listening to them all took place inside just one day for Clay. So much in his life changed in less than twenty-four hours.

Speaking of Clay, am I the only one that was sort of bothered by him? I liked him and then I didn’t like him… and then I did… so on and so forth. Clay is so passive it’s annoying. It’s irritating to see from his point of view sometimes, but that’s what makes him a good character. He wouldn’t be just fine, understanding, and a little sad… the bitterness and anger are what make humans human. While it grinded my gears I really need to applaud Jay Asher on not selling out to one type of stereotypical reaction when it came to Clay listening to the tapes. He did come off as somewhat too much of a “nice guy”, though.

The biggest thing I liked about this book was Hannah’s voice. From the first words she said—Hello, boys and girls. Hannah Baker here. Live and in stereo. —I felt like her voice was just… there. She’s sarcastic and angry… and hurt though she covers it well with her usually calm demeanor. I loved that she was willing to admit that she did things wrong too and that she isn’t just a victim. If her tapes had been filled with “woe is me!” statements I don’t think I would have finished this book.

Apparently there’s a collection of YouTube videos with Hannah’s tapes on the Thirteen Reasons Why website. I haven’t checked them out yet, but I’m seriously hoping they’re similar to how I picture Hannah’s voice. (Edit: They aren’t and I won’t continue listening to them.)

For the most part this was an interesting book. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. The events are sad, but I wasn’t emotionally invested in the book at all and I’m sure that’s one of the reasons it’s only getting a three star rating from me.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Seven Authors I'm Thankful For

I noticed that people participating in the Top Ten Tuesday meme are making lists of authors and books they're thankful for in honor of Thanksgiving this year. While I'm currently not participating in the meme* I thought it was a good idea. So, without further ado, Authors I'm Thankful For:

Sarah Dessen: She’s one of my favorite authors and was one of the big forces that got me into the Young Adult genre while I was in middle school. I love her books and will continue reading them until she stops writing them.

Stephenie Meyer: I know what some people are probably thinking as they read this. I do like The Twilight Saga, but it’s not the reason Stephenie Meyer is on the list. For some reason while I was reading the series for the first time I had an overwhelming urge to write, something I had been lacking motivation to do. It still makes me want to write therefore I’m still thankful for it and her.

Mark Twain: Mark Twain wrote a wonderful essay called The Lowest Animal and I absolutely adore it. That alone is the reason he is on this right now. Never mind all of his highly acclaimed novels.

William Shakespeare: Call me pretentious, but I love Shakespeare. He was the first author (technically playwright) I read who showed me that you can make anything sound good if you choose the right combination of words.

Stephanie Perkins: When I read Anna and the French Kiss I quickly fell in love with it. Reading it also helped me get through an unwanted trip I was on, which is why I’m grateful for Stephanie Perkins.

Sylvia Plath: I’m not the hugest fan of poetry, even Sylvia Plath, though there are a select few. Those select few poems and her book (The Bell Jar) win her a spot on my thankful list. I wish she had written more.

Judy Blume: My first favorite book EVER was The Pain and the Great One by Judy Blume. As if that’s not a good enough reason for her to be on this list there’s also the books she wrote for growing girls that tackle tender and difficult topics that may be difficult to talk about. Also, Superfudge.

*I'm thinking about getting started up with the Top Ten Tuesday meme.

Review: Burn for Burn - Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian

Opening Sentence: "The morning fog has painted everything white."
Author Website (Han and Vivian) | Goodreads | Amazon

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...
THEY GET EVEN.

Postcard-perfect Jar Island is home to charming tourist shops, pristine beaches, amazing oceanfront homes—and three girls secretly plotting revenge.

Kat is sick and tired of being bullied by her former best friend.
Lillia has always looked out for her little sister, so when she discovers that one of her guy friends has been secretly hooking up with her, she’s going to put a stop to it.
Mary is perpetually haunted by a traumatic event from years past, and the boy who’s responsible has yet to get what’s coming to him.

None of the girls can act on their revenge fantasies alone without being suspected. But together…anything is possible.
With an unlikely alliance in place, there will be no more “I wish I’d said…” or “If I could go back and do things differently...” These girls will show Jar Island that revenge is a dish best enjoyed together.

I’m glad this is a series, because I have no freaking idea what’s going on. I forgot it was a series, so the abrupt ending almost caused a completely different tone in this review. Luckily, I remembered.

I’m a believer in karma; therefore I’ve never had as strong of a hunger for revenge by my hands as these girls do. (I.e. I don’t want to ruin anyone’s life… really.) I think this may be the reason I can’t help but shake my head at Kat, Mary, and Lillia. I understand they’re angry and want to shove back at the people who hurt them, but… it’s kind of crazy. Then again a lot of the things humans do are.

As much as I want to say this makes the story unrealistic, and therefore irrelevant, I can’t, because things like this happen all the time. I think as far as realism is concerned this is a pretty accurate rendition of life. The things I consider extreme may be nothing to some people and vice versa.

This book was left so tangled that I can’t help but sit here and brainstorm possible solutions to the whole matter. I’m not quite sure where the authors are going with the story. That, my friends, is how you get people to continue with your series. You make them hate it and think about it to the point of love. That isn’t to say I hate the book. On the contrary, I really enjoyed it and found it to be quite the page-turner… I’m just so bewildered. So, what now?

Of all the girls I really felt Mary was the shining star. Her story is what stuck out most to me and I feel like my empathy level with her was beyond strong. The other girls were wonderful too, with all three of them less secure than they appear and more ferocious than they plan to be. I really liked the characters because they were real enough to question what they were doing, but hurt enough to keep going, as I imagine many humans feel and act. No one is ever completely sure of everything they’re doing and I think that was shown subtly in most of the characters in the novel, not just the main three. Humans are fragile and you could see that in the friends, the parents, and et cetera.

I’m not sure when the next installment in the series is slated to come out, but I’ll be waiting patiently, scratching my head in hopes of some sort of explanation.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme started/hosted by The Story Siren in which bloggers share the books they buy, borrow, and receive. Click here to learn more!

Today I got Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs from the library and I'm pretty stoked to read it. I've had my eye on it for quite some time, but never picked it up... for some reason. I was originally pulled to it because it heightens the story with real vintage photographs and the like, which appeals to me, especially because I love old photos. I've heard mixed things about this book, though, so hopefully I'll like it.

Last week I got a copy of Where She Went by Gayle Forman, but I'm not completely sure I've even read If I Stay (sources lean to "no"), so I also got a copy of that on my kindle to read in the near future. I guess there is an accident or something and then...? I guess that confirms if I've read it or not, huh?

Also, I'm currently waiting for City of Bones to come for me at the library. I finished Clockwork Angel just a few days ago (and looooved it) and am extremely excited to read more. (I do know it's technically a different series. I'll explain myself later.)

Anyway, did you guys get anything good this week? I'd love to hear about it.

Review: Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare

Opening Sentence: "The demon exploded in a shower of ichor and guts."
Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.
When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

It was no big deal when I put Clockwork Angel on hold at my library. I had seen a lot of people who loved it and figured I’d read it too if it was so good. At the time I had no idea whatsoever that it was connected to the Mortal Instruments series. (I know, I know. I haven’t read it yet, but I’m working on it.) You may go ahead and color me happy, because I think this may be the beginning of a beautiful (but perhaps dangerous to some level) obsession.

I know a lot of people are in the business of comparing the two series (The Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments) and judging on which they think is more interesting or better in general (usually mentioning how the author has grown). If the other books are as good as this one then I don’t see any reason to compare and contrast, because I loooved Clockwork Angel.

Plainly, I started to read it just because I thought it to be culturally important. I never thought I would find it so interesting or enticing, pulling me in. I messed up my entire sleeping routine for this book, and have no one regrets about it thus far.

I was surprised by how amazingly complex every single character was and how it never seemed like backstory was being thrown in my face. Things came naturally and I really appreciate that, especially because a lot of novels have problems with character development and backstory. It’s the mark of a masterful and very skilled writer when it appears easy.

The story itself had me foolishly thinking I was smarter than the author. One of the points I was going to bring up was how it seemed all the most important plot points were the ones that were the easiest to predict… until I got closer to the end and realized the things I thought were so important were completely overshadowed by things of significantly higher importance that I didn’t anticipate in the slightest. I’m usually somewhat perceptive, so this was an absolutely wonderful surprise.

There’s not much more I could have asked from this novel. It was mysterious when it needed to be and straightforward when called for. It was so in depth and by the time I read the last page I was hoping for the opportunity to read the next book, and I mean soon. I’m so excited to continue on with this series and The Mortal Instruments.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

---

"'Whatever you are physically,' he said, 'male or female, strong or weak, ill or healthy--all those things matter less than what your heart contains. If you have the soul of a warrior, you are a warrior. Whatever the color, the shape, the design of the shade that conceals it, the flame inside the lamp remains the same. You are that flame.'"

Review: Gathering Blue - Lois Lowry

Opening Sentence: "'Mother?'"
Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon

In her strongest work to date, Lois Lowry once again creates a mysterious but plausible future world. It is a society ruled by savagery and deceit that shuns and discards the weak. Left orphaned and physically flawed, young Kira faces a frightening, uncertain future. Blessed with an almost magical talent that keeps her alive, she struggles with ever broadening responsibilities in her quest for truth, discovering things that will change her life forever.

The extent of my love/hate relationship with this book can’t be explained properly with words. I was excited to read it after I read The Giver because I loved that book. I figured the next book in the series would arouse the same love, but that’s not so, it would seem.

The first book in the series was slow, but still entirely interesting and I was very prepared for the same type of experience in the second. Gathering Blue is slow, that’s true, but when it comes to interestingness I felt like it went through phases of interesting and boring, hence the love/hate relationship. What do you say about a book you’re on the fence about?

For these reasons I’m confused as to what I should rate it, let alone how I should feel about it in the grand scheme of things. I’m thinking it may be one of those books that you have to read a second time to really appreciate and collect all the information. Obviously the story was interesting to some extent if I want to read the next book, but I’m currently wondering how exactly it’s all going to be tied together, and if I’ll enjoy it. Of course, that curiosity is what will propel me farther into the story (and the quartet of books).

In other news, I really liked the characters. They’re dynamic and all have their own reasons to be loved (or hated!). I loved that the main character wasn’t whiney but was still able to acknowledge that her life could be easier… and then when her life was made “easier” she had the very human reaction of homesickness. The other characters were wonderful too and I’m hoping they’re in the next book(s).

For the most part I don’t regret taking the time to read this book, but I’m seriously hoping I like the next book more than I did this one. Gathering Blue wasn’t a bad book, it just wasn’t capturing my attention the way I thought it would. Perhaps in the future I’ll give it another try and see if nothing has changed in the way I feel about it.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
(2.5 stars because I couldn't decide between two or three.)

Review: Your Own, Sylvia - Stephanie Hemphill

Opening Sentence: "Who are you, Sylvia Plath?"
Author Website* | Goodreads | Amazon

On a bleak February day in 1963 a young American poet died by her own hand, and passed into a myth that has since imprinted itself on the hearts and minds of millions. She was and is Sylvia Plath and Your Own, Sylvia is a portrait of her life, told in poems.

With photos and an extensive list of facts and sources to round out the reading experience, Your Own, Sylvia is a great curriculum companion to Plath's The Bell Jar and Ariel, a welcoming introduction for newcomers, and an unflinching valentine for the devoted.

I’m not the biggest poetry fan in the world. I would go as far to say sometimes I loathe it. I like things that get to the point, and poetry tends to beat around the bush. I love to try and convince myself I like poetry, though. I often get books of poetry from the library, take a couple looks at them, and then turn them in again without reading more than a few poems.
I picked up this book of poetry because it’s about Sylvia Plath and her life. I’m a fan of Plath’s works (to an extent), but I love even more to read about her life, short as it may have been. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into with this particular collection.

I’ll say right now that this book pleasantly surprised me. It’s made up of a series of poems, in the point of view of various people from Plath’s life, that come together to document her entire life from beginning to bitter end. The poems themselves were nice to read. They weren’t trying too hard to be poetic, yet they were “pretty”, as many poems are… and got down to the nitty-gritties without too much fuss about trying to make things socially acceptable. It’s a challenge to be honest and unbiased when writing about someone’s life (even your own) and I really think Hemphill did it effortlessly.

Most of the poems were accompanied by footnotes with additional information, which I really loved. Also, I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives. I don’t think this book would have worked if it were from the perspective of just one or two people. There’s an array of people such as family, friends, doctors, et cetera. It really gave variety and a large scope of opinions.

While I have many good things to say about this book I do have one rather large bone to pick with the author and publisher. I’m absolutely confused by the genre of the book. Is it Fiction or Non-Fiction? It’s officially published as Non-Fiction because it’s about real events, but the author (in her letter to readers) says it’s Fiction. I’m torn as to what to label it, because while it is about real events, the author stood in as the people in Sylvia’s life. How can something be Non-Fiction when the words were never really said by the people in the story? Anyway, since it’s published as Non-Fiction I’ll label it as such.

Aside from the genre problem I’m very fond of this book. (Honestly, the genre doesn’t make that much of a difference.) It was interesting to read and presented Sylvia Plath’s life in such a way that gave the full story without a bunch of fluff. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes poetry, Sylvia Plath, or the Non-Fiction genre. I really think it’s worth the read no matter what you like, though. I hope to own this one in the future.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
*I wasn't able to find an author website, so I posted Hemphill's profile from the HarperTeen website.

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme started/hosted by The Story Siren in which bloggers share the books they buy, borrow, and receive. Click here to learn more!

I'm pretty excited to read the books I got from the library for this week. Gathering Blue and Messenger were originally checked out by my mom in anticipation of Son, Lois Lowry's newest edition to The Giver Quartet. As you can see I snatched them up when she was done. 

As for Thirteen Reasons Why and Where She Went, I have been hearing good things about them for some time now and I finally got around to picking them up. Thirteen Reasons Why is one I have been eyeing for, like, a couple years since my sister-in-law read it and loved it.

I was surprised to have gotten Burn for Burn so quickly from my library (just a few days waiting time) considering it's relatively new. The cover is still fresh and scratch free and the pages unscathed by dirty hands or dog-earing twits. (Sorry! if you dog-ear. No offense, but I hate your habit.)

Last, but not least, I'm so excited to have Clockwork Angel. Admittedly I didn't know that The Mortal Instruments series (that I have yet to read, I'll get there eventually) and The Infernal Devices series were connected until  I had the book in my possession. Oh, well. At least I know now. So far I'm really liking this book.

1. Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
2. Messenger by Lois Lowry
3. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
4. Where She Went by Gayle Forman
5. Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
6. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Have a good week! (:

P.S. Special shout out to Burn for Burn because I'm in love with this cover design. I love me a good cover design.

The Moon and More Cover Reveal (!!)

I got a newsletter this morning saying that USA Today revealed the cover for Sarah Dessen’s newest novel, The Moon and More. This was enough to reel me in, but then in her newsletter the fabulous Miss Dessen also announced that with the cover there is an excerpt of the first chapter of the novel. It took me less than five minutes to decide to read it then and there. You may insert some sort of excitement .gif here.

Based on what was posted I know Sarah Dessen has done it again, for me at least. It’s no secret to anyone that I’m a super fan of Sarah Dessen’s books so it should be obvious that I like this excerpt. I do have some woes, though.

I was cruising the Goodreads discussion boards the other day and someone mentioned the similarities between all of Sarah Dessen’s books. In a nutshell they were saying the plot lines are all mostly the same with a troubled girl who finds an equally (or less so) troubled boy who she hits it off with. There’s a tragedy, the girl and boy fight for some time, and then by the end it’s happily ever after-ish.

I’ll admit I was a little offended when I first saw the post. That feeling was quickly followed by one of “Oh, my god… they’re kind of right!” to one of “Eh, I love her books.”. All of these feelings were ultimately cast aside for one last feeling. My sentiments about Sarah Dessen and her books are, as of right now, “Can’t stop, won’t stop.” So that is that.

But still, I thought it was an interesting topic definitely considering she’s a very successful author and continues to be. If you look at any one author I think you’ll find similarities in all their novels as well. I don’t think this is due to poor planning or a lack of talent, but more the type of books they are writing… what genre they fall under. The mystery will always be solved just as the person coming of age will grow up. How they get there is never the same, even if the plot is similar.

Now that I’ve gone totally off the topic I meant to stay on: I’m seriously wondering how other people feel about the release of the cover and excerpt for The Moon and More. Is anyone else as excited as I am? Because I’m pretty freaking excited.

Click here to read the beginning of The Moon and More.
Click here to see the discussion that spawned my ramblefest.

Review: Annie Leibovitz at Work - Annie Leibovitz

Opening Sentence: I forgot to get it before returning the book. Sorry.
Author Website*| Goodreads | Amazon

Annie Leibovitz describes how her pictures were made, starting with Richard Nixon's resignation, a story she covered with Hunter S. Thompson, and ending with Barack Obama's campaign. In between are a Rolling Stones Tour, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, The Blues Brothers, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Keith Haring, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Patti Smith, George W. Bush, William S. Burroughs, Kate Moss and Queen Elizabeth. The most celebrated photographer of our time discusses portraiture, reportage, fashion photography, lighting, and digital cameras.

I had no idea what to expect when I picked up this book. It was about photography and that’s about all I knew, aside from random people stating it was interesting to read.
If you’re looking for a lot of backstory and personal details on Annie Leibovitz this is not the book for you. Rather, it’s about—as the title states—the work she has done, the processes on each shoot, successes and pitfalls, et cetera.

I was thoroughly impressed with the whole thing and can hardly think of anything I didn’t like in the entirety of the book. The writing is quick and to the point but never boring. It was captivating and I’m sure interesting even to people who don’t have a particularly strong interest in photography. Leibovitz doesn’t stay on one topic for too long, rather presenting an array of topics and different jobs (photo shoots) in separated chunks and always accompanied by at least one photograph each.

Again, I was pleased with Annie Leibovitz at Work, though I do think you should probably be at least a tad interested in photography if you plan to read it. That’s pretty much all I have to say about it. You get a really great look at not only Annie Leibovitz and her work, but also her subjects and how they interact with each other. I thought it was fantastic and absolutely worthy of five stars.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars
*Annie Leibovitz doesn't have a website as far as I could see, therefore I added her profile page from Vanity Fair rather than leave nothing at all.

Review: Before I Fall - Lauren Oliver

Opening Sentence: "They say that just before you die your whole life flashes before your eyes, but that's not how it happened for me."
Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?
Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

The concept of Before I Fall is one that was completely new to me before I started reading the book. If, after you died, you lived the day of your death over and over what would you do differently, the same, or not at all? Would you go on as normal? Maybe spend more time with your loved ones? Make a fool of yourself because it doesn’t matter? I haven’t the faintest idea what I would do, so it made the idea of reading a book about it all the more welcoming.

I’ll be the first person to tell you when I don’t like a book, so I had absolutely no problem expressing how unimpressed I was with Before I Fall when I first started reading. I almost abandoned the whole operation. I thought the writing was slow and cheesy. And what was with all the food fighting? French fries, ice cream, beer… and why were they such a big part of the narrative? I understand the beer scene, but really… who would get into an ice cream fight when they know they have three plus more hours to sit through school?
I don’t think those scenes played any particular purpose (again, except for the beer scene) in the grand scheme of things. The French fry and ice cream scenes were supposed to show some type of bonding between the characters, I get that, but it seemed more like adolescents being immature and, frankly, unrealistic. Mommy needed to come by and scold them for playing with their food.

It took me over one hundred pages to get invested in the story. In fact, I was sure to update Goodreads with how I was feeling.

Click the photo to see it bigger.

As a whole, I can overlook the slow start and say that despite the pitfalls this novel was well worth the read. It got deeper as it went and even made me cry at a couple points. Oliver was great at showing the different forms of grief the main character, Sam, was going through following her death. Sure, she was still living in her normal, everyday life, but it’s the same day (Cupid day) every time with all the little details intact and fixed. That knowledge in itself can become miserable before adding in the fact that everything she does is ultimately in vain.

I can’t explain how afraid I was of the end. Instead of just reading the book and finding out how it ended I stressed about the end being terrible. My thought process was basically “If it ends this way I’ll call it a cop out and hate it. If it ends this way I’m going to be totally upset and unsatisfied.” I’m happy to announce that neither of those is true and I am completely satisfied with how things turned out. I wasn’t expecting parts of it, but I don’t think it could have been any other way. It’s a tragedy, but a good one.

Even if I didn’t like Before I Fall to begin with I’m rating it four stars, because it did pick up and morph into something more like the story I was expecting it to be. I’m certainly glad I didn’t stop reading even when I wanted to, because it proves itself a good book that’s well worth your time. The fact that it doesn’t exactly snatch you and pull you in from the get-go may be a problem for people like me and others who may not keep reading anyway, but I definitely urge anyone who hasn’t read the book to read it. It will get you eventually. I promise.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Picture Books My Nephew Liked

The other day while I was babysitting my 6-year-old nephew, Aiden, he requested I read some books to him. I searched, offered some up, and then got to reading. These are the four I read to him... all of which he liked immensely and I thought I would share with you.

My Little Sister Ate One Hare by Bill Grossman
In this uproariously funny counting book, illustrated by popular artist Kevin Hawkes, a ravenous little sister eats everything from one hare to ten peas. Now in Dragonfly, this is the perfect book for any kid who loves to giggle (and who doesn't?) and parents who love to hear them.

Albie the Lifeguard by Louise W. Borden
At the beginning of the summer, Albie can't swim the length of the town pool without stopping. But he can do a cannonball off the board and dive for pennies. With patience and encouragement from his friends, Albie gains the courage to go the distance.

If You Take A Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff
The famous little mouse from the children's classic If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is back in another irresistible tale full of holiday antics. This time, if you take him to the movies, he'll ask you for some popcorn. If you give him the popcorn, he'll want to string it all together. Then he'll want to hang it on a Christmas tree.

The Mitten by Alvin Tresselt
Deep in the woods on the coldest day of winter a little boy drops his mitten. And that lost mitten stretches and stretches -- and stretches -- to provide shelter for many woodland creatures. A Ukrainian folk tale.