Twilight, Harry Potter, Lemony Snicket

I love all three of those.

We read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson at the beginning of the year at school. It was my 2nd time reading it, thankfully it had been a couple years so I had forgotten some of the details. I really liked Speak though and the other day at the library I found Catalyst, which is kind of a sequel to Speak, but not exactly. The main characters are different, though Melinda and Mr. Freeman were mentioned. And it takes place at Merryweather High. I've got a little less than a quarter of the book left and I've really liked this book too.

Anyone else read either of these?

I think I've read this book (I recognize the characters so I guess I did read it.) I'll have to look for the sequel.

I think this author also wrote Fever. I read that book over the summer and it was really well written and ties in perfectly with our American Studies curriculum for this year.

I'm currently reading Speak with a student I'm tutoring. Don't tell me what happens!!

;-)
Kit Kat

I think this author also wrote Fever.

Yes, she did. I read that one a while ago and I thought it was pretty good too.

So, how would you guys like to choose a book to read and later discuss? I think the way they did it on the main Book Club board was everyone contributed a certain number of titles and one person wrote them all down. Then 7 were drawn from the hat and voted on with the buttons on the bottom of the messages. The one with the most votes was the book that everyone was supposed to read. Also, a date was set to discuss the book on the boards.

Is this how we should do it? If so, who should be the person to collect the titles and keep track of things? (I wouldn't mind doing this, unless someone else wants to. I like organizing things. :-) )

What do you think?

I would like to start the list off with "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke.

The movie is coming out on January 23rd and it is always good to read the book first before seeing the movie. It is a story about a "book doctor", as his daughter Meggie refers to her farther as, who can read characters out of books into this world but in return, someone or something disappears from this world and is sent to the world that the character came from. He first found out he could do this by reading the story of Inkheart when he accidentally brought over some very interesting characters from a fantasy land and unwittingly sent away is wife into Inkworld. There are two other books in this series, "Inkspell" and "Inkdeath".

Camp Fire Lady

I would like to start the list off with "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke.

I have been meaning to read this one for some time now, so I am TOTALLY up for this being the selection!
-wassamatta_u

I am good for this as well...

MLR

Me too. I keep checking for it at the library, though, and only the second and third books have been in!

Kit Kat

Good choice! I really enjoyed this book and there is a lot to talk about with it, too. It has some very heavy stuff concepts that will be fun to sink our literary teeth into as well.

It seems that I need to go read Inkdeath before the movie hits. I found out the hard way with Harry Potter that a movie mid-series can ruin the image in your own mind. To the library I go.... ;)

Good to hear all this. I just picked up this book the other day. Now to start reading!

I have been thinking about reading this one as well.

I'm almost done listening to Inkdeath on CD. I read the first two books very quickly, and loved them! It's been hard to wait for Inkdeath, and although I started reading the book, it was taking me a while (I think because it had been a while since I read the first two, and there are so many characters that I'm trying to remember that it was a little slower going... I'm loving it on CD though!) One thing that really impressed me with the first two books was the language... especially when I found out I was reading a translation! It was originally written in German.

I'm going to want to reread them now that all three are out, and I'm looking forward to seeing the movie. I think I'm glad it's been a while since I read Inkheart... I judge adaptations better when there's distance. I would highly recommend reading Inkheart! The plot line is so interesting, and the three books combine to make such great story.

I'd like to add City of Bones by Cassandra Claire to the list. This is a really good book, but it’s really not that popular. So... that’s my say in the matter. =)

*IML*

I just started the book Glass Houses by Rachel Caine. I think this is a series of 6 books. anyone else out there read these? What did you think? I'm hoping they don't get too scary. I am leary of vampires, since watching Salems Lot as a kid, yet I loved Twilight.

~Aurora

I just finished reading Once Upon a Time in the North, by Philip Pullman. It's sort of a brief prequel to His Dark Materials, telling about when aeronaut Lee Scoresby meets the bear Iorek Byrnison. I enjoyed the trilogy; I enjoyed this book. It reminded me that I've been meaning to see The Golden Compass movie--any reviews of that?? There is a game included with the book, but it was a library copy, so I didn't think I could take it apart. It is also illustrated with fabulous engravings--I'm sure being a letterboxer made me appreciate them even more!

Kit Kat

I recently purchased The Golden Compass for my kids and they enjoyed it. There are some intense parts, and it held their interest.
We were surprised to find that the boy in the Golden Compass was in 2 other movies I bought at the same time, Not knowing. Freddie Highmore is also in Willy Wonka and August Rush.

I think we also should add "Girl Overboard" by Justina Chen Headley. I just started it recently butt it is a very good book. = ] Also any one from "The Series Of Unfortunate Events" by Lemony Snicket. Those are also very good! = ]

~sPyGiRl~

Three of my favorite books!!! I'm currently halfway through "Inkdeath" and think this is a very good series. :)

I will be interested to see what the outcome on InkHeart is. I loved Funke's The Thief Lord but found InkHeart, Dragon Rider, and several of the others not to my taste.

I have read City of Bones and Glass Houses but wasn't interested enough to continue those series. I can't wait to hear other readers' impressions of them. . . especially why each reader was drawn to them. I love to learn why I've missed something and going back on others' recommendations has really brought me some new YA favorites! Also, I am looking forward to Clare's new series starting with The Clockwork Angel.

For possible books, I would recommend Incarceron by Catherine Fisher, Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett, Flora Segunda by Ysabeau Wilce, Happenstance Found by P.W. Catanese or The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner. Of course, if we're looking for things I haven't yet devoured. . . I would recommend The Pace by Shelena Shorts, Ruined by Paula Morris, or The Fiend and the Forge by Henry Neff.

After re-reading this, I clearly need a ten step program. . . ;0)

If you love books you will love this one. In the book the giver their is a boy named Jonas and he lives in a town of sameness. Then Jonas is selected to be a recever. That is when Jonas meets the Giver. That is all i will tell you. You have to read the book your self and see how it ends. The ending is rely exiting.

the fall boxer

I just read this book and loved it! Very good book and a quick read. I'd like to read The Messenger now.

Is the messenger like the sequal to the giver. I hope to read that one to.

the fall boxer

I think that it is.

It is part of a loose trilogy... the next was Gathering Blue, then the Messenger.

j1

It is part of a loose trilogy... the next was Gathering Blue, then the Messenger.

Really? I was sure that Gathering Blue was the last one published. Was it a prequel?

The giver was 1994, Gathering Blue 2000

"With the 2004 publication of MESSENGER, the trilogy that begins with THE GIVER is complete. Jonas and Kira are grown, and have met, at last. Of course every good book leaves one wondering, and the conclusion of the trilogy will, as well.

THE GIVER At the age of twelve, Jonas, a young boy from a seemingly utopian, futuristic world, is singled out to receive special training from The Giver, who alone holds the memories of the true joys and pain of life.

GATHERING BLUE In this speculation on the nature of the future of human society, life in Kira's community is nasty, brutish, and, for the ill or disabled, short.

MESSENGER In this novel that unites characters from "The Giver" and "Gathering Blue," Matty, a young member of a utopian community that values honesty, conceals an emerging healing power that he cannot explain or understand."

Wow--I read The Giver after my mom gave me a copy a few years back. I thought I had read the Messenger next and Gathering Blue last. I also thought I had read them both when they were new. Oops--I think I just told my daughter to read them in the wrong order :-(

Right now I'm currently reading the funniest book series ever! It's the Confessions of Georgia Nickelson books by Louise Rennison. Oh my there are soo funny! Don't be warded off by the titles though. They really are great books!

Hi y'all!

I've read several great YA books since January and wanted to recommend them in case your teens are looking for summer reading. (Or you enjoy teen novels like I do!) I read a few others that were good too, but these have been my favorites.

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi - The author does a fabulous job painting the picture of a future world where global weather has left former coastal cities underwater...particularly New Orleans and the other Gulf cities. I found the situations and the characters to be believeable and I loved the characters. The book was full of suspense and action and heart. The protagonist is a male and there isn't any romance (as is often the case in teen books) except for one innocent kiss and vague references to prostitution (which might not even be recognized as such by some kids). This would appeal to guys just as much as girls.

Across the Universe by Beth Revis - (This has nothing to do with the Beatles or the movie with the same title.) I absolutely loved this book. It's about a spaceship that is a self-sustaining community on its way to a more hospitable planet than our future Earth. It's part science-fiction, part dystopia. Other than the fact that you have to believe they could tell that a planet that is 300 years away will be hospitable, I found it fabulous! I loved the characters, the suspense, the pace, the world on the ship, the way the author alternated between the two protagonist male and female characters, and the story itself.

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore - What a fun, suspenseful story. (The movie was released this year too.) If I were an alien trying to hide on Earth, I do not believe I would bother to attend school. I'm not sure that being well-adjusted socially or well-educated to Earth's standards would be that important to me. But, you have to let things go sometimes to enjoy a story and I definitely let myself enjoy this. The protagonist is male--granted, he's an alien with dawning superpowers--but human enough to pass as a real teen.

Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater - I had enjoyed Maggie's books Shiver and Linger and wanted to see what this other series about homicidal faeries was about. Luke was presented a bit like Edward in the Twilight series--mysterious, protective of the girl, extremely handsome, otherworldly, and forbidden. But, that was the end of the similarities to Twilight. The protagonist is a very musically talented female. She was interesting and had a very funny male best friend. I also read the sequel, Ballad, and it was good but not as good as Lament, IMO.

Matched by Ally Condie - I really enjoyed this story! I resisted it at first since the premise didn't sound interesting to me, but I kept seeing it recommended by various people/places. The book is set in a controlled future society that reminded me of both City of Ember and The Giver a little bit. But, the book's future was only a few generations from now and I thought the way the author told the story was appealing and creative. The momentum was just right and I cared about the characters.

--Amyrica