Books to Read

authors you might want to try

2009-11-08T10:08:00.002-05:00

Jodi Picoult: My Siter's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes: timely; each book is a well written tale combining with current event themes with thought provoking questions.
Douglas Adams: Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series: comically satiical look at the human race and Universe. Multipe levels of thought make these rereadable but never hard or too intense. Just don't forget you towel!
Bernard Cornwell: historic fiction with loads of action and adventure. Here there are several series to choose from depending on the time period you are interested in. Within the series each novel is a stand alone so don't worry about having to read all the books. History comes alive!

Alex Rider series

2009-11-08T09:55:00.002-05:00

by Anthony Horowitz
action & adventure
wow - fun exciting series about an orphaned teen, recruited to work for British Intellegence. Lot of James Bond type gadgets and dare devil adventures.

Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure

2009-11-07T17:32:00.002-05:00

by Matthew Algeo
americana - history - travelog
The full title "Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure: The True Story of a Great American Road Trip" recreated a road trip this former first family took after leaving office. Tells three stories in one: a 50's family road trip compared to the same route taken today; Harry and Bess Truman and the life after being President and First Lady; and some history of the times all nicely rolled into an easy to read, easy to follow story.

Song Yet Sung

2009-11-07T17:15:00.002-05:00

by James McBride
civil war history - Maryland One Book
For the style of writing alone this is an interestingly good book. Told from the view of an escaped slave, a free black, slave-catchers and other on the eastern shore of Maryland. The story weaves the tangled web of their lives and journies with mystery and intrigue.

The Postcard

2009-11-07T17:05:00.001-05:00

by Tony Abbott
mystery - adventure
Slow start - great middle - totally from the teen perspective (so yes, Dad is an idiot) 13 year old Jason goes to Florida for the summer to help his father clear out his recently deceased grandmother's house. Once there he stumbles upon a mystery that may or may not involve an old building, his great-grandfather and his grandmother's romantic past and some creepy circus people that keep showing up.

Sophmore Switch

2009-11-07T10:32:00.002-05:00

by Abby McDonald
chick lit - adventure - living down your rep.
Very good; not too cute or sappy; deals with actions and consequences; nice ending - not what you expect but what is real.

Eat This Not That

2009-11-06T12:46:00.002-05:00

by David Zinczenko
non-fiction - health - food
Full title Eat This, Not That! Thousands of Simple Food Swaps that Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds--or More! Easy to read/skim though book that is very informative and insightful. Which is better to eat a Big Mac or Whopper? Which fast food place is the healthest? Are there any smart food choices at Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Cream? Just a few simple switches and smarter menu choices can make a big difference in your health.

Princess of the Midnight Ball

2009-11-06T12:42:00.003-05:00

by Jessica Day George
fantasy - retold folk tale - some adventure/romance
Retelling of the Grimm fairytale Twelve Dancing Princesses. Parts are slow and dragged out; good characters and smooth ending.

The Tapestry

2009-11-06T12:37:00.003-05:00

series by Henry Neff
fantasy - adventure/action
Action right from the start. Harry Potter read-alike but better with lots of humor. The second book is great! Raises some very interesting questions? If the victor writes history does that make his cause right? I appreciate the positive portrayal of the father.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

2009-11-04T18:14:00.006-05:00

series by Rick Riordan
action/adventure - mythology - friendship and family
The hero is not you typical all-American good boy - he's in trouble at school all the time (kicked out of six), he has ADHD and dyslexia. His mom is great; full of love and support. His stepdad is a jurk. Percy Jackson is about to find out his real dad is a god - right out of Greek mythology - and all is not well on Mount Olympus, which happens to have been relocated from Greece to New York City. Can Percy keep himself alive long enough to find out what is going on and why someone or something wants him dead?

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

2009-11-04T18:09:00.004-05:00

by Jeff Kinney
comedy - family and friends - growing up
alright not the type of book most teens read but this is a great mix of cartoons and text that is down right funny. Three books in the series (so far) each one deals with family life and relations from a middle school boy's perspective. Your dad's will like it too.

The Secret Lives of Men and Women

2009-11-04T17:48:00.004-05:00

by Frank Warren
non-fiction - cultural
completely anonymous people decorate a postcard and share a secret never shared before. Secrets MUST be truthful; there is no restriction on content. This is the third book of secrets - read this - you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll have empathy and sympathy, anger, sadness, hope and love -- you'll feel!
Maybe you'll even share.

Night

2009-11-04T17:43:00.004-05:00

by Elie Wiesel, Nobel laureate
memoir
Wow!! This touching memior is so vivid and horribly real. Bears witness to those who died, and those who survived, the holicaust. Quick and smooth to read.

True Green: 100 Everyday Ways you Can Contribute to a Healthier Planet

2009-11-04T17:31:00.004-05:00

by Kim Mckay
non-fiction - environment
a National Geographic book "True Green" shows simple and easy to follow ideas that will produce positive environmental change. Too bad it is printed on glossy pages but otherwise a great resourse and easy to read. Included is a reference guide to useful websites.

13 Little Blue Envelopes

2009-11-04T17:13:00.006-05:00

by Maureen Johnson
travelog - growing up - chick lit
Aunt Peg is dead and favorite neice, 17 year old Ginny inherites 13 little blue envelops each to be opened one at a time after Ginny has completed a task. The first tast, fly to London and find a mysterous address. The envelopes take Ginny on a once-in-a-life time adventure around Europe meeting Aunt Peg's friends and visiting her special places. The travels help Ginny grow and learn even if not all she learns is good. Parts of the story are unplausable but overall a nice light read.

East

2009-10-26T14:55:00.006-04:00

by Edith Pattou
action/adventure - folktale retold - fantasy
The nordic folktale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon." Told from different characters views the story is nicely woven and easy to follow and paced to keep the reader interested.

Where Do These Titles Come From

2009-10-05T17:56:00.003-04:00

The book selected for this blog are my picks - feel free to agree or disagree.