The Cephalopod Coffeehouse: Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

At our kickball game on Monday night, I shared with The Squid that I was able to read 4 books over the course of my vacation the previous week.  This was not one of the books!

I picked this up from my school library before school ended.  My teaching partner had been declaring lots of "Independent Reading" time and I invariably NEVER had a book.  Sure, I had a handful of "Encyclopedia Brown" books in my room, but I teach math and my classroom library is lacking "real" novels.

This book is also a DCF Nominee for next year and I always try to read as many as possible...or at least more than my teaching partner can!

I had happened upon Mrs. Stead's incredible 2009 novel "When You Reach Me" and LOVED it.  I decided to give this a chance.

While not as engaging or compelling for me as "When You Reach Me", the story is strong, none-the-less.  Some of the major themes from "Reach" are here, but it is a switch of genres...yet only subtly so.  Mrs. Stead has a great handle on the trials and tribulations of adolescents, as well as the lengths we all go to in order to protect ourselves and those we love.  There is lots of humor and exploration of friendship and family that ring true.  There is a little bit of a mystery/twist that fits nicely and feels organic.

It is a quick read.  I really don't think it took me more than a total of 90 minutes to finish.


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What's The Cephalopod Coffeehouse all about?  Let's ask The Squid himself!

"The idea is simple: on the last Friday of each month, post about the best book you've finished over the past month while visiting other bloggers doing the same.  In this way, we'll all have the opportunity to share our thoughts with other enthusiastic readers."

Click a link below to check things out!

1.	The Armchair Squid	2.
3.	Counterintuitivity	4.	My Creatively Random Life
5.	Scouring Monk	6.	The Life and Loves of Clare Dugmore
7.	Words Incorporated	8.	The Random Book Review
9.	Writer's Block	10.	Trisha @ WORD STUFF
11.	Bird's Nest	12.	Choice City Native
13.	Hungry Enough To Eat Six	14.	C.M. Brown
15.	Subliminal Coffee

Another Book From Last Week

Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I picked this up based on the strength of author Patrick McDonnell's other works. I wasn't disappointed. While one of my kids read it first and "spoiled" Jane's identity, the book still packed a nice little punch!

This would be a book to help spark the fancy of any little girl who is on the cusp of embracing non-traditional "girl roles" in the realm of science and environmentalism.

Major kudos to the author for including the subject's actual drawings from her youth!

View all my reviews

Last Book I Read....

The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Hmm..



I really don't know where to begin. While I liked the book, at times it felt like I the translator missed some pages or the author just decided to drop plot threads. At times the book couldn't tell what kind of story it was going to become.



It is listed here on Goodreads as (Niebla, #1) which hints at a shared universe or a series....not my favorite thing right now with YA fiction. Maybe I will poke around and try to learn more.



Maybe it will need another reading at some point.



I don't know....



View all my reviews

An e-mail I received recently...

I love the GoodReads site. I use it to track the books I have read and occasionally to get recommendations from people I trust. There is a "social" component to it, where you can "friend" other people and follow each other's reviews. There are also a number of authors on the site, too. It was there I first became "friends" with Dave Cullen.

Now, it was Dave Cullen who reached out to me, on the GoodReads site, to push a Q & A session he was "hosting" to discuss his marvelous book "Columbine". I had recently read and reviewed it on the site. He apparently tracks those who write about his books and engages those people. He never asked, but I did some shout outs on Twitter for him pushing the book and the Q & A session and eventually connected with him on Facebook.

All in all, a nice guy and a pleasant experience with him to date.

Recently I received the below e-mail. Now besides it revealing that I am WAY behind on my e-mail and am one of probably a dozen people still using AOL, it shows what authors need to do today to get their books read.

The e-mail reads:

You have received a book recommendation from Lesley Livingston!

Darklight (Wondrous Strange, #2)
by Lesley Livingston

"Since you liked The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, you might be interested in Darklight by Lesley Livingston. "Fans of Livingston's first book, Wondrous Strange (2009), won't want to miss this action-packed sequel... Bad-boy Fennrys adds an interesting wrinkle in Kelley’s devoted but increasingly strained relationship with Sonny... Readers will anxiously await the concluding volume." — BOOKLIST"

A few things jump to mind....

First, I did NOT like "The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins". As a matter of fact, rereading my review, I bemoan the fact that the book is a "series" starter and the fact it is so bleak.

Second, the above description for this book reads very "Twilight-esque", another series for which I am probably not the target audience.

Third, Ms. Livingston is the second most followed author on GoodReads. However, she and I are not "friends" at this time. While comparing books (a feature GoodReads offers to let you determine your compatibility), four of the ten we compared were books Ms. Livingstone wrote!

Now, I am not sure where I am going with all of this, as given the fact Ms. Livingstone is wearing a Flash t-shirt in her GoodReads profile pic, I'll probably friend her anyway. It just struck me as an interesting snapshot on the state of book publishing, where authors need to track down readers. I liken it to some local "band" sending you links to their music on iTunes.

What I Just Finished Reading

Right as Rain by George P. Pelecanos


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is probably my favorite by Pelecanos to date.

If you have read any Pelecanos novel, you are familiar with the area he writes about and the type of world his characters inhabit. His plots are intricate without being overwhelming, the dialogue is sharp and realistic, his characters are human and relatable and the resolutions are realistic, satisfying in some respects and frustrating in others.

I also appreciate how the books can tie together very subtly. I read a lot of "series" by authors I like. I find myself frustrated by picking up a novel that is a DIRECT sequel to another book (that I might not have read) or where the author fills in so much background information (practically cutting and pasting for the benefit of a new reader)you can zone out for a page or two. Pelecanos does such a nice job of being able to hook new readers while tossing long time fans a bone or two. (For this book, there are so many subtle tie-ins, but the one in the last chapter brought tears to my eyes.)

If you have read Pelecanos but haven't read how Quinn and Strange ended up as partners, then this book is for you. If you haven't read anything by Pelecanos yet (WHAT!?!?), then this book is an excellent one to start with.

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What I Read....a little while back...

The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An enjoyable read. In addition to to appearances by Haller and Bosch (who have a HUGE improbable plot twist that make me wonder where Connelly is going next with his charcters), newspaper reporter Jack McEvoy (subject of two other Connelly novels) plays a minor role.

Good courtroom scenes and a fun mystery to unravel.

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Recently Read....

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Another DCF nominee. Not really a retelling of Rapunzel, but a graphic novel set in an old west type world with elements borrowed from Rapunzel and a few other fairy tales. It was quite fun.

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What I Read....Recently

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
On Friday, I had a few hours to kill at the doctor's office so I grabbed a DCF nominated book to read in the waiting room.

There seems to be a sub-genre of post-apocalyptic dystopian horror type books in children's literature these days. There also seems to be a need for authors to create series or at least trilogies right away.

I did enjoy this book but it seemed to be unnecessarily and unrelentingly bleak. Sort of a "Running Man" meets "Survivor" but with children.

I was discouraged when the librarian told me that "the next book" was in stock, as I knew that meant and unsatisfying conclusion. With a little editing and some forethought, this could have easily been a strong stand alone novel.

I do not see myself wishing to read the sequels.

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What I'm Reading

Split Second by David Baldacci


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Do you remember when you first saw Star Wars? If you are a certain gender and a certain age, it was THE defining movie of your childhood. You were either Luke or Han when you played. You craved everything Star Wars.

Then The Empire Strikes Back came out and it added so many layers. You were blown away. “No....I am your father” rocked your little mind. Yoda letting the audience know “No. There is another” led to rampant speculation for a few years about where the story was going to go next.

And then we got Return of the Jedi which pretty much showed us that George Lucas was just making this stuff up as he went along. Luke and Leia are brother and sister and it was always Lucas' intention? Watch the kiss in Empire again and tell me if you believe that.

And then he made the “real” first three and things get out of control. Chewbacca and Yoda are “old friends”? Kenobi and Anakin are enemies for about 30 seconds before Obi Wan runs and hides for twenty years but watch the first one and Kenobi is calling Vader “Darth”, as if it was his name and they knew each other for awhile.

Basically, Lucas was winging it. Granted, it is probably one of the most successful wing its in wing it history but still....

A long winded way to get into this review, but “Split Second” was the first novel where Michelle Maxwell and Sean King meet each other, but it is the fourth of their adventures I have read. Some of their back story has been hinted at in the other novels I read but all of those novels were accessible so I didn't really worry about it.

Now having read this story, I am even more appreciative of the “world” that David Baldacci has created. The narrative thread is strong and while some of the situations are obviously a little far fetched (kidnapped Presidential candidates, underground bunkers, and villains renovating derelict buildings while no one notices) the story is engaging and keeps you guessing.

I seem to be in a rut as to the type of story I am reading these days but I am really okay with that.

Next three: “The Race” by Patterson, “Hell to Pay” by Pelecanos and something by Michael Connely.

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"What I'm Reading"

The Way Home by George P. Pelecanos


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I am a lucky man. I know that. I live a quiet life, relatively normal and straight.

But I know there is another world out there, even in the quiet and calm of The Green Mountain state. People who live lives with no purpose or with malice in their hearts.

"The Way Home" shows a little bit of that world in and around Washington, DC. A teenage boy's life goes off the tracks and takes the lives of his family with him. Even as he tries to straighten things out, a decade later as a young man, his old reality crashes in on him.

A few years ago, Stephen King, in his column in Entertainment Weekly, recommended another of Pelecanos novels which I read and enjoyed. That one was a bit of a crime/mystery/thriller if I remember properly.

I saw this at the library and picked it up. Not the sort of book I usually read...more a slice of life story rather than the "incredulity straining fiction" I really enjoy but worth the time to read. I am going to read some of Pelecanos' other books sooner rather than later.

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"What I'm Reading"

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Now this is the Neil Gaiman I like. It was spooky, funny, touching, and mysterious. My only complaint might be that some of the mystery was played too close to the vest.

If you like British humor, a touch of the macabre and don't take the idea of ghosts and the afterlife too seriously, you will probably enjoy this.

I found two copies in my classroom library. I am not sure if I would recommend this much below 6th grade, unless you have a fairly sophisticated kid on your hands.

Whereas"Coraline" started strong and faltered, leaving a less and less positive spot as the memroy dims, this book is one I will revisit someday. I hope the author does too.

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What I Read....When It First Came Out....

This comes directly from Brad Meltzer's site....

"Here's the sneak peek of the new cover for the paperback (coming out at the end of the month on May 26th). Trust me, I was surprised as you were at the image. I do like it. Skeevy. And I guess they wanted to ride the power of the dog, and so we ride..."

What I Was Reading....Until Last Night

The Catch: A Joe Gunther Novel by Archer Mayor

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
After the last few Gunther novels, my expectations were low. (While on my latest reading jag, I read one of the books without even realizing I had already read it before!)



This one was a bit better. Once again, most of the action takes place outside of Vermont, but this time it did not seem as forced as the last few novels. Most of the references to Joe's age have been muted (I think, if the timeline for his life established way back in Open Season was still being followed, Gunther would be over 70 years old) and the background stuff for new readers did not seem so ham-fisted.



While with a lot of Mayor's books, the ending seems slightly rushed and dependent on far too many coincidences, overall it was worth reading, especially if you are a fan of the genre, had given up on Mayor or have a couple of days to kill.


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Lee Child's Jack Reacher - Free Book Online!

Comic By Comic: Lee Child's Jack Reacher - Free Book Online!

I need to get this linked before I get too busy today....

This is the sort of post I wish I could do...

What I Was Reading...Until Last Night

The Hard Way by Lee Child

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
As good as the Reacher novels get. This one had some good twists and turns. I thought the whole mystery was good and I even figured out a few things before they were revealed!



On a side note, unlike James Patterson's recent (preachy) take on the horrors of modern Africa, I thought Child did a much better job of conveying what is going on over there. It was touched upon briefly by a character who was a red herring but made sense to the overall story (again, unlike Patterson's recent "Cross" novel).



Pure escapist adventure. I had a recent "debate" on Twitter as to how many books in a series you should read in a row. I find myself wanting to grab the next immediately.


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What I'm Reading....NOW!

I remember picking up the very first Alex Cross novel "Along Came A Spider" back when it was first published. I've always liked the books, quick reads, a little pretentious, but usually a good time.

Now, I usually don't say too much on this blog, but I kind of want to right here. I read for pleasure. I like to escape reality and throw myself into the "world" of the novel. I can suspend disbelief and will welcome the giant mutant alligators or Herculean efforts of a single man to save the world. I don't usually read "to learn" (with the exceptions of things like the weekly newsmagazine, entertainment stuff or when Marc suggests a book).

I am about 3/4ths of the way through this particular Cross novel and there is TOO much reality. It's obvious the author wants to make some sort of statement or stumbled across some article on the horrors of modern day Africa and wants to do something. If that is true, he should write a book about that.

I do not pick up an Alex Cross novel to learn about the refugee camps in Darfur or the horrors of genocides against people that "[t]he UN can't help. No one can."

I pick up an Alex Cross novel to read about a Washington DC homicide detective solve an impossible crime.

I want reality to leave me alone for a few hundred pages and several hours spread out over a few days.

What I'm Reading....Now!

I got this from one of my aunts around the time Nana died. I forgot I had it. I also forgot how much I like this guy's stuff.