Sunday, February 8, 2015

My Week in Books





What I Read Last Week

 


Two fiction and one nonfiction books this week. 

The Truth About Twinkie Pie features Double-G, a brilliant girl who is being raised by her older sister. Double-G's life changes when she and her sister move to a new city and she has a chance to be the person she wants to be instead of the person her sister wants her to be. It's a refreshingly read with plenty of plot twists to satisfy the most demanding of readers. And lots of fascinating recipes, too. 

There are some book characters you meet that you can never forget. Simon Shaw in See Ya, Simon is one of these. He’s slowly dying of muscular dystrophy and you know from page one that he doesn’t have long to live. You might think that would make for a very sad story, but See Ya, Simon isn’t like that at all. Simon doesn’t mope; no, he lives, every minute, every second, vibrantly, enthusiastically, energetically. He’s the kind of kid you would love to have as a son, as a brother, as a friend. A regular kid in a wildly irregular body who laughs it up and goofs around and lives. When his death comes (as you know, from the start, that it will) you feel the same kick in the gut you would if it was a boy you knew in real life. You feel the pain of his loss, but you are glad you had the chance to know him, even though it was just through the pages of a book.


It was pretty obvious that The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace wasn’t going to be a happy story. It wasn’t. Rob’s mom refuses to marry his dad. His dad sells drugs. His dad is sentenced to life in prison for murder. The hope of the story is the sacrifices of Rob’s mom to send Rob to private school. Nevertheless, Rob sells drugs. Rob makes it to Yale, but keeps selling drugs. Rob graduates but still sells drugs. Despite, Rob’s mom’s best efforts, despite Rob’s brilliance, Rob is shot to death before he turns thirty. Yes, it's a tragic story, but it's worth reading to celebrate the efforts of Rob's mom, to encourage the work of kids like Rob, and to try to figure out ways that others won't have similarly short and tragic lives.

           





What Arrived Last Week

 
Mobile Library                          Sketch!

 Hausfrau                    Rockin' the Boat

A great week for books at my mailbox. Can there be anything more wonderful than receiving two review copies that come straight from your Amazon wish list? Or receiving two books that would have been on your Amazon wish list had you known of their existences? Yes, a great week.
           







What are you reading today?!


What is the Sunday SalonImagine some university library's vast reading room. It's filled with people--students and faculty and strangers who've wandered in. They're seated at great oaken desks, books piled all around them,and they're all feverishly reading and jotting notes in their leather-bound journals as they go. Later they'll mill around the open dictionaries and compare their thoughts on the afternoon's literary intake....That's what happens at the Sunday Salon, except it's all virtual. Every Sunday the bloggers participating in that week's Salon get together--at their separate desks, in their own particular time zones--and read. And blog about their reading. And comment on one another's blogs. Think of it as an informal, weekly, mini read-a-thon, an excuse to put aside one's earthly responsibilities and fall into a good book. Click here to join the Salon.

The Sunday Post is a meme hosted by Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news and recap the past week.

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page. We share books that we found in our mailboxes last week. 
 It is now being hosted here.


Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which you can share the books you've acquired.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between!  This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from! I love being a part of this and I hope you do too! As part of this weekly meme Book Journey loves to encourage you all to go and visit the others participating in this meme. 

20 comments:

  1. Three great books you read this week. I did love Simon too, an incredible piece of writing to stop it from being maudlin. The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace sounds rather amazing. I wish I had more time to squeeze more books in... I'm intrigued by Sketch, but I can't draw at all.

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    1. Everyone seems to think they can't draw. I can't either. It doesn't bother me, though. I draw anyway.

      And Sketch is perfect for people who think they can't.

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    2. I seriously am very terrible at drawing, which is a shame because I quite fancy myself as an artist- it won't happen in this lifetime though.

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  2. Eager to see what you think of Hausfrau!

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  3. What a great reading week you had! And great books in the mail! I've been eyeing Hausfrau, and look forward to your thoughts! And Sketch looks great!

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  4. Looks like some good reading, if a bit on the tragic side of things.

    I'm always fascinated by drawing books. Not one has turned me into a decent sketcher, but I still want that to happen!

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  5. I've been curious about the Robert Peace book... it does sound sad.

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  6. I want to know more about Mobile Library...

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  7. Enjoy your books! I am definitely curious about Hausfrau....here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES

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  8. Just bought Twinkie Pie and looking forward to reading it! Yay, Kat! :D

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  9. Hausfrau seems to be popular at the moment!

    As for surprises arising... I'd love a heap of my 'to reads' from Goodreads to suddenly arrive. (Don't think that's going to happen however!)

    Deb

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  10. I'm still reading "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman and "Love Least Expected" a brilliant short story anthology which are teasers for longer stories to come. They are brilliant: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23565205-love-least-expected

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  11. Thanks for visiting me. I am bringing my blog back to life after a long hiatus, practically starting from scratch. I've added the Twinkie Pie book to my TBR. I look forward to your review of Sketch, it has such an interesting cover.

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  12. Luv that Hausfrau cover! and def great postbox arrivals - It might be hard to choose which 1 first...:)
    HapPy Reading won't be a problem for you this week! EnJoy...

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  13. Nice assortment of books. All of your new arrivals are completely new to me. I'll be eager to hear what you think of them. You can see my week here. Happy reading!

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  14. Hausfrau has popped up on a few posts this week - the cover looks very inviting :-)

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  15. It is a wonderful feeling to open the mailbox and see books you were hoping to read! I will be interested to see what you think of Mobile Library.

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