Monday, July 1, 2013

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? (#IMWAYR) is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys with a kid/YA-lit spin hosted by Kellee at Unleashing Readers and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.



Past Reads: I am LOVING summer because of how much reading time it gives me. Waking up in the morning with a cup of coffee and a good book, sitting out on the patio under the sun reading, curling up in bed with a story to accompany the sounds of bullfrogs in the pond - heaven! Perhaps I haven’t been as productive as I should, but I think reading is as good an accomplishment as any!


In the past week I’ve finished a few young adult books - Scarlet, How to Save a Life (see reviews below), completed reading and hosted our faculty book club for The Kitchen House, and completed a life-changing professional development book - Penny Kittle’s Book Love. All-in-all, it’s been a fairly fantastic reading week!

   


Current Reads: I just started, and I mean just (on page 7) Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick. This book was actually recommended by our brand new principal. When I first met her a few weeks ago, we got to talking books (I feel like I do that with everyone) and she said her teenage son couldn’t get enough of this series. How could it not go on my to-be-read list? I then highly recommended the Legend and Divergent series for her to take back to her son; I hope he loves them as much as I do!


Here’s the goodreads summary of the book (and, yes, it’s another dystopian series...I’m hooked!): It could happen tomorrow . . .


An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.

Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP.


For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human.


Author Ilsa J. Bick crafts a terrifying and thrilling post-apocalyptic novel about a world that could become ours at any moment, where those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amidst the devastation.


Future Reads: In the next few weeks I’m facing a problem that I guess I’m happy to have. ALL of my library holds seem to be coming in at the same time. I can’t not check them out as I’ve been anxiously awaiting some of them for months. I now have six (seven including Ashes, which I just started) library books stacked up in our office, all with due dates within the next three weeks. Think I can do it? I guess painting my bedroom ceiling will just have to wait a little bit longer.


My books currently stacked up:

     
                  Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1)


Also, if you are looking for a summer reading challenge, think about joining the #summerthrowdown. It’s a great way to challenge yourself to read more books; my goal is 15 books in July (looks like my landscaping might have to wait).

What are you reading? What have you just finished? What are your top recommendations? Leave me a comment as I'm always looking for books to add to my To-Be-Read list!

8 comments:

  1. Ashes sounds really good...adding it to my list. Have you read The Testing? It's the first in a new dystopian series. I am hooked on those types of books as well!

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    1. I just added The Testing to my library holds last week. I've heard great things about it and can't wait to read it! Thanks for the recommendation!

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  2. I keep hearing about Book Love. Even though I work with elementary kiddos right now I think I might still have to get it.

    Ashes got a little preachy for me (also, as an LDS member, I thought some of the references were a bit ... out of place). That said, the ending? Reservations aside, I will be back for book two.

    I need to catch up on the Mortal Instruments books before the movies. Which reminds me that I also need to catch up on Beautiful Creatures. And then see the movie. Although did it do that well? I can't remember. Will have to go look now.

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    1. I just finished Ashes, and I agree. I wish the entire book was like the last 50 pages. Overall, I wasn't a huge fan of the book but I might have to continue the series just because of the ending.

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  3. I am glad to see that I am not the only one who has yet to read City of Bones. It got popular in my middle school library all on its own, so there was no rush, know what I mean?

    I read Doll Bones by Holly Black last week and it was amazing! Even though it is more MG I think YAs would appreciate it too--esp. fans of hers.

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    1. Doll Bones is now on my TBR list. I've seen it listed in a few other places, but you've reminded me to read it. Thanks!

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  4. I am feeling book guilt because I am not reading as much as during the summer as I should, but it seems like you are doing a great job!
    I saw that you loved How to Save a Life. I, too, thought it was a very well put together, emotional book.
    Book Love is also brilliant! I think everyone should read it!
    Finally- JEALOUS about reading Scarlet! I need to get to it, but I just don't know when I am going to get to all of the sequels I want to read (though it is my 2013 book gap challenge; I am majorly failing...)
    Enjoy Ashes- it is intense!

    Happy reading this week! :)

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    1. I always have a hard time with series (and it seems like they are the majority now). I want to read all of the books, but I also want to try other books to recommend to students. I loved Cinder, though, so Scarlet was a must read for me, and it didn't disappoint!

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