Summer Reading

I am back from my last vacation of the summer!  I am due back to work a week from today.  I have a few days to get ready and then I have kiddos on Friday.  This is hands down the fastest summer I have had yet.  I have to admit that on our camping trip I was terrible about taking pictures.  I had my camera but the idea of leaving the water/beach/camping chair to get it sounded awful so I just didn't do it.  We had a great time but words can't explain how ready I was to go home to my bed and shower after 5 days on sleeping on an air mattress and camping in sand.  One thing I did get up and pull out of my tent was my books.  I managed to finish one and then another while there and that reminded me how negligent (or just busy) I have been about my book updates.  Although I don't think there is a bad book in the bunch my favorite by far was The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak.  I seriously couldn't put this book down. 

The Replacement By Brenna Yovanoff

This book was an interesting twist on your classic spooky story and it told from the "monster's" point of view. 

Jesus Land by Julia Scheeres

What a crazy book (and true story!) about a White sister and African American brother growing up in during the 70s in rural religious and deeply racist Indiana and then eventually being sent off to a messed up Christain reform camp. 

Salem's Lot by Stephen King

I pick this book up because after reading The Dark Tower series I learned that a lot of the characters for that series cross over into most of Stephen King's books. I really wanted to read The Stand but it was in a box somewhere. This is a good classic vampire tale. It managed to spook me a little bit which I was surprised about.

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

Hands down the best book I have read in a long time.  Its about a little girl growing up in Germany right as the Nazi's start to take control.  It is told from "Death's" perspective.  It is such a unique book!

The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

This series was recommended to me by a student of mine.  It seemed a more mild version of the Hunger Games but still entertaining none the less.

The Pretties and The Specials by Scott Westerfeld

Part 2 and 3 of The Uglies series.  Good but getting a little perscriptive. I still had to finish it to see what happened! The ending of The Specials was abrupt and not what I thought it was going to be.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

I remember watching the movie late one night when I was a teenager.  I also remember crying my eyes out.  The book is just as good if not better.

Crispin The Lead Cross by Avi

This is my current read.  Its a nice change from what I have been reading and so far it is about a serf boy in the 14th century ousted from his English village after the death of his mother.