Nine-year-old Oskar Schell adores his father, Thomas. Oskar is something of a genius, so he never fits in at school, but his dad sort of becomes everything to Oskar. And then Thomas Schell dies in one of the towers on 9/11. Two years later, Oskar still isn’t handling this well. Snooping around his dad’s closet […]
I have avoided Harry Potter and company completely in my Character Connection posts. It’s not that I don’t love them; I absolutely do. It’s just that my memory for details in books isn’t great in the first place, and in the second, I haven’t re-read these as often as so many of you have. I […]
Janie Crawford is only 16 years old when her grandmother decides to marry her off to a man who is well-respected in the community. Nanny has had to work hard all her life and she wants Janie to have an easier life. She marries her off as soon as she notices boys noticing Janie. It […]
George Beard and Harold Hutchins are the 4th grade pranksters at their school. They change school signs around to say funny things, they fill cheerleader pom poms with black pepper, and they fill footballs with helium. Perhaps their favorite pastime, though, is writing comic books. They steal into the school office and make copies to […]
Celie is only a young teen when her stepfather marries her off to their widowed acquaintance, Albert. Celie is little more than a slave to the family. Albert has several spoiled children who terrorize her and he regularly beats her himself. Celie just puts her head down, writes letters to God, and tries to go […]
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Posted: Mini review: Bone: Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith Review: Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs Character Connection featuring Mary Hightower, aka Mary, Queen of Snots from Everlost by Neal Shusterman Review: Heir to the Shadows by Anne Bishop Welcome to Banned […]
I wrote that title like it’s an exciting thing, when in reality I wish there was no need for a week like this. From the ALA website: “Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned […]
Definite spoilers for Daughter of the Blood. At the end of the first book, Jaenelle is broken and Daemon isn’t in much better shape. Jaenelle has to heal in this book and come to terms with what she is. Luckily, she’s surrounded by caring friends who are willing to protect her and push her as […]
Mary Hightower is one of the main characters in Everlost by Neal Shusterman. And I think part of the reason I want to write about her is because of that “Queen of Snots” moniker. My inner 12-year-old giggles every time. Mary is too good to be true, right from the beginning. She’s a ruler in […]
**Possible spoilers for Moon Called** Mercedes Thompson is a mechanic who just happens to walk in two worlds. There’s the mundane world where she spends her time fixing VWs, and there’s the supernatural world that she was born into. See, Mercy is a walker. She can shift into coyote form at will. She’s not as […]
Three Bones, Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone, are run out of Boneville after Phoney Bone tries to pull a scam on the townspeople. They get separated in a desert. Fone Bone, the most honest of the bunch, eventually finds marooned in a beautiful valley. All is not as peaceful as it appears, however. […]