Where to start?

Since I last blogged I have read so many good books, including adult books like The Help by Kathryn Stockett that our faculty book club read. Our meeting usually lasts an hour, but the discussion on this book was so varied and interesting that we met for an hour and a half or more. Read it- even students will enjoy the story of maids in Jackson, Mississippi during the time of the Civil Rights Movement. Told from three points of view- Minny and Abileen are maids and Skeeter is a white woman whose family has always had a maid. Once you start reading this one, you won't want to put it down.

If you love the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, you must read Mockingjay, the final book of the trilogy. District 12, all of Katniss' family and friends are in grave danger at the hands of President Snow. Find out if Katniss ends up being with Gale or Peeta! I thought it was very well done, but not all of our students feel the same way. Not every loose end was tied up nicely, but it was great that Collins finished out the trilogy and didn't drag the series out.

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi is an exciting fantasy and adventure "semi post- apocalypse" novel. Nailer is a ship breaker, one who goes into old ships to pull out the wires for salvage. It is a lowly, dangerous job. The overseer treats him badly and would fire him at the drop of a hat if he or any other ship breakers don't meet their quota.. Nailer's life depends on this job. Nailer finds a girl on board a clipper ship who is alive and running from kidnappers. He has many decisions to make regarding the girl, and his future depends on these choices. If you loved Hunger Games, you will love this adventurous book and you will wait with anticipation for the next one to come along! Don't miss it! It is an edge-of-your-seat kind of read.

Just finished Crash Into Me by Albert Borris. A group of four students meet online in a chat room where they make a connection,all of them are young adults who have tried to commit suicide and still want to go through with it. Owen and the others decide that they will all take a road trip together and they make a suicide pact to commit suicide at the end of the trip. Their journey takes them to some very random places as they sights related to suicides of famous people along their journey. Mr. Borris creates real characters that you find yourself rooting for as they travel together- four lost souls put together in a car for two weeks. Imagine the possibilites! A funny, bittersweet novel with some very depressing aspects to it as well. You will enjoy it.

I picked up Walter Dean Myers Lockdown earlier this week. I am already fascinated by the main character, Reese, who is in juvie but he is allowed to work ten days a month in a nursing home as part of a pilot program. He is assigned to help a very frail and ill genleman, but he keeps messing up by getting into fights and the next step for him is a high security level prison filled with gangs who would probably kill him. His goal is to convince Mr. Hooft that he isn't a bad person and to keep his nose clean until he can get out of his juvie center and regain his life in society. Great characterizations- I can't wait to see how this one plays out. I already love Reese and the way he interacts with Mr. Hooft is interesting to say the least. This is a great read for guys.