Hmmm....Can't Decide

I know I'd make a terrible stay-at-home mom and I'm not really looking forward to going back to school. Can someone build me a cute English style cottage near the sea where I can read 24 hours a day? And sip tinkly drinks? Coffee w/ ice? Smoothies? I could take all my nutrients in through a straw and I don't think it would phase me in the least. Okay...end of summer prattle. I have been reading and I have been doing lots of moping, mourning, crying, whatever. My new chiropractor says that "all of those emotions have been repressed and stored up in my spine(?) and have to let themselves out." What? "How long will this last?" I asked. "No idea," he replied. So, without further ado, I will forge ahead with trying to make sense out of my life through books.

Currently, I'm trying to decide whether I like Katniss and Peeta or Katsa and Po better. I love both stories- and both romances. I will take a poll when school is underway.

Meanwhile, here's my widget from Good Reads. That will help make up for the lack of actual reviews in the last 4-5 weeks!

Shiver

Ah, vacation. I can stay up until 1 or 2 am and just read in the dead quiet of the house, or in this case, cabin. In the beautiful north in Michigan we are having much better than expected weather and our gorgeous boat ride and sunburns proved it yesterday. Last night, after all was completely quiet, I finished Maggie Stiefvater’s SHIVER. I didn’t mean to stay up until about 2 am, but I was hooked.

Grace was attacked by wolves at 11 years-old (pulled from her tire swing), but one yellow-eyed wolf saved her from the rest of the pack. She bonds with “her” wolf as she calls him and the wolf checks in on her often. One quiet night the wolf approaches her and lets Grace bury her face in his ruff. The wolf turns out to be her werewolf-soulmate, Sam, who is actually a human in the summer and changes to wolf when the weather cools. When Grace meets Sam in human form she knows instantly who he is by his yellow eyes and her immense attraction to him. The majority of the novel is spent examining the lives of Grace and Sam after they meet. Grace’s indifferent parents allow her much time to spend with Sam and he with her at her house. As their relationship grows, the two know they are hopelessly in love with each other, but Sam knows this is his last year “turning” and once he becomes a wolf this time, he won’t be back in human form, making their love a bittersweet struggle to keep Sam warm in the approaching winter.

The beautiful language in this book kept me going. It did take me a good 100 pages to really get hooked, but that doesn’t mean that the beginning was bad, just slower. Immersed in the text are beautiful pieces of poetry from Rilke that explain Sam’s love for Grace, but also the text of some beautiful lyrics that Sam has written. However, the poetry only adds to the beauty in the novel. I found this piece by Rilke (p. 253) extremely moving.
Again and again however we know the language of
love and the little churchyard there, with its sorrowing
names, and the frighteningly silent abyss into which
the others fall: again and again the two of us walk
out together under ancient trees, lie down again and
again in the flowers, face to face with the sky.

Even as an adult female, I got actual shivers up my spine during the love scene between Grace and Sam. I hate to admit it, but I re-read it many times. This was a beautiful and haunting book full of emotion and characters who seemed to make decisions way too adult to match their teenage years. I know this will appeal to the “Jacob” fans of the Twilight set. And, I have to admit that I’m not a fan of wolf stories, but this one really touched my heart. I can’t wait to pass it along to my “former” students! ☺ Happy summer! It’s officially here!

Almost Done!

There is only one more day left of school! Then we head up north (in Michigan in June-yes) where we will probably be greeted by chilly weather and rain. This is what happened last year and we had no warm clothes. Visualize driving through pouring rain looking for a WalMart at 9:00 at night. Ugh. So, we're doing it again! Not my idea-husband thinks it HAS to be warmer this year. Anyway, I have a stack about three feet high of ARCs to read and I can't wait since I seem to have been caught up in the end of the year rush. I'm having a really difficult time deciding what to read first! What I do know is that I'll have 5 days to read- oh yeah, and play with my kids. And, read to them! I'm so looking forward to summer break!

And, because it always comes at a REALLY bad time in my school year (usually the weekend right before we get out), I think I'm going to try to do my own 48 hour book challenge like Mother Reader. Since I couldn't possibly do it this year, I will try my own soon! The kids are all scheduled to be gone in a few weeks, so I will try then!

School's Almost Out...What to Do....

Well, it's been a while. Life catches up with you. I am waiting for the summer to begin and for school to end. I am waiting for my sweet little girl to find the right friend for her. Girls can be so mean. I am looking forward to spending time with my children and yet I am afraid I will be ready for school to resume before it's time. Here is what is on my bedside table to read as soon as school is out:

Before I Die by Jenny Downham
(I still have the ARC and haven't read it!)

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Unwind by Neal Schusterman

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeiffer

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

My oldest and I are still moving through Riordan's The Lightning Thief and, although I thought it was too mature for an 8 year-old, she seems to devour it, even picking it up to read when I have to be out at night.

I hope to be able to blog more often now that school is almost over. Next year will be the first year I am not working full time since I began teaching! Thrilled doesn't even come close to how I feel about that. Now, I just need to curb my book buying habit.....since we'll have only 80% of my pay. Perhaps I could go without food instead.....