Friday, June 29, 2012

Fundraiser flyer for Santana class of 2014

Hello all! This is not your regular post. Not that I've been writing many of those lately! I will be back. I promise. Or....threaten. ;)

 Here's an out-of-the-ordinary post. If you happen to be hungry today between the hours of 10am to 10:30pm, and you happen to live in the San Diego area, please consider eating at Panda Express, 9862 Mission Gorge Road, Santee.

 This is a fundraiser for Child #3's high class of 2014. Above is the flyer you need to present in order for the class to get credit. You might catch Child #4 and I eating our lunch there. I'll be getting something with tofu.

 Happy eating (if you're able to help out). Otherwise, I'll be back to post about the revisions on the book due this summer (yikes!), summer fun in San Diego, odds and ends!

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

The Book Review Club (June 2012)

Hello first Wednesday in June! Which means it's time for our Book Review Club. Below my review, you'll find links to a variety of amazing reviews by amazing reviewers! All to help you navigate the waters of...summer reading!


PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King

PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ is one of the best YA novels I've read this year. I'm not in the minority. This book was nominated for an Edgar and is a Printz Honor Book.

 In a nutshell: Vera is a straight A senior in high school. She works full-time as a "pizza technician." She's a binge drinker who lives with her accountant father. She has no contact (save one phone conversation in the book) with her mother who ran off to Vegas several years before the story opens. She gets involved with a 23 year old guy. She has a serious falling out with her neighbor and best-friend-since-childhood, Charlie Kahn when he dumps her, joins the Detentionheads and takes up with a mean, skanky girl. Charlie dies under suspicious circumstances. Vera knows what really went down.

 What I Loved: The voice. The voice is strong and pure and uniquely Vera's.

 What Else I Loved: The chapters alternate between the present and past. There are a variety of points of view: Vera, Charlie's ghost, Vera's dad, the town pagoda. The book is beautifully crafted. You can't not root for Vera. She's one of those characters that gets into your heart and head.

 I'm looking forward to reading A.S. King's upcoming release: ASK THE PASSENGERS (Oct. 2012). Oh, and I almost forgot; here's the author's website.

 Now, do yourself a favor. Scroll down and click through to the wonderful book reviews below. Your to-be-read list will thank you.

 MIDDLE GRADE/YOUNG ADULT BOOK REVIEWS
Jody Feldman: SUMMER OF THE GYPSY MOTHS by Sara Pennypacker (middle grade)

Sarah Laurence: THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater (young adult, fantasy)

Alyssa Goodnight of the Writers'Road Less Traveled: GRAVE MERCY by R.L. Lafevers and SCARLET by A.C. Gaugin (both are young adult)

Staci of Life in the Thumb: RECKLESS by Cornelia Funke (young adult)


ADULT BOOK REVIEWS
Patti Abbott: THE FLIGHT OF GEMMA HARDY by Margot Livesey

Lucy Sartain of Ranting and Raving: NEARLYWEDS by Beth Kendrick (women's fiction)

Ellen Booraem of Freelance Ne'er-do-well: WATERSHIP DOWN by Richard Adams


NONFICTION REVIEWS
Scott Parker: THE PRESIDENTS CLUB by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy (history)

Linda McLaughlin: A NIGHT TO REMEMBER by Walter Lord

Kaye of the Road Goes Ever Ever On: NOTHING TO ENVY: ORDINARY LIVES IN NORTH KOREA by Barbara Demick

Note to Reviewers: Any errors (broken link, missed review, etc), just shoot me an email or leave a comment. Thank you so much for your reviews!