Showing my Age

Well my friends, I tried. OK, I'm still trying, but it's killing me. I just read the third Fruits Baskets and I'm so sorry, but I didn't love it. I feel like the series is getting old for me already. It's the same story, just retold a little bit differently. And this is going to go on for 23 volumes? Seriously. Yikes. Maybe you have to be of a certain age to appreciate this series, and I am just too old. I don't know. I may try Volume 4 eventually, but I think I'm going to take a break.

...And then there's Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham. Really? This is what everyone has been raving about? I just don't get it. It was OK, but I definitely did not love it. Again, maybe it was a little too young for me. All I know is there is a major cliffhanger ending, and I have no urgency to read the next book. It seemed so unrealistic and at times, downright silly (and not like funny, ha). That's right. I'm calling it unrealistic. Yeah, this from the girl who loves paranormal stories. When I was reading this, I was strongly reminded of one of my childhood heroes, Encyclopedia Brown. And Theodore Boone, I''m sorry, but you're no Encyclopedia Brown.   

Dead Right...

Boy Books Part II. Just read The Morgue and Me by John C. Ford. Most Excellent. Well, mostly excellent. There are some parts that require you to suspend disbelief, but go for it. This is a fast-paced, edgy mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. The premise? The summer before he heads off to college, Christoper gets a job in the morgue. Creepy? Morbid? Or just dead boring? Christopher's job seems pretty uneventful until he witnesses something he shouldn't. With a Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew flair, he decides to solve the "case" with the help of a young (hot! & female!) news reporter named Tina. From the dynamic opening to the surprise ending, this book is the perfect choice for mystery/thriller fans.

A herd, a colony, a swarm, a flock....

Just like Lady Gaga (okay, maybe not just like) I have spent some time recently getting in touch with my masculine side. My next two books to review? Clearly boy books. Written by men, for boys with lots of boy/man characters. First up? Ostrich Boys by Keith Gray. Here's a synopsis of the book.

'It's not really kidnapping, is it? He'd have to be alive for it to be proper kidnapping.' Kenny, Sim and Blake are about to embark on a remarkable journey of friendship. Stealing the urn containing the ashes of their best friend Ross, they set out from Cleethorpes on the east coast to travel the 261 miles to the tiny hamlet of Ross in Dumfries and Galloway. After a depressing and dispiriting funeral they feel taking Ross to Ross will be a fitting memorial for a 15 year-old boy who changed all their lives through his friendship. Little do they realise just how much Ross can still affect life for them even though he's now dead.'


This book has been on my "to-read" list for ages. And now? I didn't love it. It was OK, and it had an interesting twist at the ending. But overall, it kind of let me down. And, it had a ton of British slang that distracted me as I was reading. That being said, it was nice to read a book that focused on guys and their friendships. Oh, and the title of the blog entry? A reference Sim's quirky skill of knowing almost every specialized name for groups of animals. It adds a fun element to the book, and gets you thinking!  

Don't ignore this book

Please ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King was a 2011 Michael L. Printz honor book. (The Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature is an honor given each year by the American Library Association.) I don't always necessarily like, agree with, or read all of the winners and honor books, but this one intrigued me. The first thing I read on the book jacket flap when I opened the cover was, "Is it okay to hate a dead kid? Even if I loved him once? Even if he was my best friend? Is it okay to hate him for being dead?" Done. I was hooked! 

Please ignore Vera Dietz is not an easy book to read. The characters, especially Vera, are dealing with some serious, heavy issues, and there aren't necessarily any easy answers. There is some strong language, sexual situations and underage drinking, so I would not recommend this book to younger readers. However, I would highly recommend it to older readers. I love Vera, she is such a real and honest character with a strong voice. I even love the way the book is written, shifting perspectives and giving different characters a chance to talk and share their point of view. This book is in turns raw, honest, open, funny, frustrating and heartbreaking, and should most definitely not be ignored.