A lot has happened in August. I've started a new job with a new school district. My kids have started school in a new district (different than mine). We're still in the process of unpacking and settling into our new house. I've agonized over the destruction of habitat down the street...still fighting depression on that. I've received the reading list for volunteer reader selector for the MASL Gateway Awards 2009-10... and read 8 of the books on the list so far. So, all in all a very busy month. AND I've read a total of 14 books bringing my yearly total to 70. My goal of 100 books in 2008 is well within reach (in fact, due to the fact that the MASL books are all YA and pretty quick reads, I've upped my goal to 110 and would like to get to 120).
This month's list includes:
1) Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer. Reviewed here... after some further reflection I've changed my original enthusiastically positive review. It all wrapped up just a little too "lived happily ever after" I think. It didn't help that it was panned by so many fans...
2) Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear. Maisie Dobbs is still one of my favorite female characters. Set in post WW I England, the stories are both historically interesting and emotionally moving.
3) The Gunslinger by Stephen King. Having been a King fan for as long as he's been writing, I've somehow avoided this series. I'm not sure why... it just never really seemed to call me to read it. I enjoyed this first installment well enough to plan on picking up the second book in the series... just don't know when.
4) In Search of Mockingbird by Loretta Elsworth. The first Gateway nominee I picked up. I enjoyed To Kill a Mockingbird well enough to reread it several years after I graduated from school. This is a cute little story using the love of Harper Lee's book to propel a teenager onto a journey of self discovery. I enjoyed it well enough...but found it lacking in several ways.
5) Peak by Roland Smith. The best Gateway nominee so far (out of 8 read in August). Tells the story of a troubled boy transported to Tibet by family events, and used as a political and publicity pawn in an effort to place the youngest climber on the summitt of Everest. Great ending.
6) The Off Season by Catherine Murdock. Sequel to Dairy Queen. Football and basketball playing farm girl deals with a family tragedy... learns about boys and economic class distinctions.
7) Blackbird, Farewell by Robert Greer. Received this as an ARC from Librarything. My complete review can be found here... suffice it to say that I didn't care for it.
8) Something Rotten by Alan Gratz.
9) Dorsai! by Gordon R. Dickson.
10) Boot Camp by Todd Strasser. See review above.
