by Katherine Reay
Hennepin County Library paperback 335 pages
genre: Christian fiction, romance
I like this author! Dear Mr. Knightley is my favorite of hers, then this one, then The Bronte Plot. I love the literary allusions! Overall, it's a pretty light read and we had a nice discussion last night at book club. There are so many passages I marked!
Page 39 - Emily on Ben - "Then he turned and looked at me and not a muscle moved. I liked that. It felt as if he understood the proper speed of things, the proper weight of life, and it didn't intimidate him. He didn't need to fill it up with clutter."
Page 94 - Rachel (the woman whose fire-damaged house Emily is helping to restore) talking to Emily about feeling in love - "But marriage should be like that too. . . . you can feel just that alive every day - as long as you don't forget. After all, you get to be with that one guy - for you, the adorable no-contractions guy - who lights up your world and shares it with you. For me, he makes good coffee and sings to me." This actually makes me sad, because we know that something is wrong between Rachel and her husband, but we never find out what or why (or if they resolve it). I like it because it makes me think of how much I love Louie!
Page 106 - Emily reflecting on family and how people thought of their families - "Ben used warm words like laughter, love, teasing, and hugs. Words that tasted sweet and coated you. Joseph, if he did have anything to say, used words from my lexicon: obligation, work, duty, challenge. Hard words I could tap with my small finishing hammer."
Page 110 - "I hadn't thought of restoring the pictures as 'romantic,' but I guess it was. Planning a surprise for no reason other than to bring another person delight was, in fact, romantic."
Page 118 - Judge and Mrs. Briggs ' ". . . I don't have that kinda time right now. You would'na believe how busy you can get once ya retire." This made me think of my mom!
Page 162 - Emily's third day in Italy, after two cappucinos and no breakfast - "'I don't think two was a good idea.' The flying sensation held the distinct possibility of tipping toward a crash landing."
Page 253-4 - The conversation between Emily and Father Matt about prayer and what to do - "I've been praying, too, and I think I needed this painting, and you. I've been praying for years now, for a revelation. Not something epic. Just something in my heart. I've felt old and tired and joyless for too long." . . . "We all have doubts, fears, and we forget. We forget who we're called to be sometimes, and by whom." . . . "It somehow reminds me that joy isn't a feeling, it's a truth."
The end of Chapter 39 hit me like a ton of bricks. I don't want to ruin it for others.
Page 315 - Emily talking to her sister Amy - "'I love you, sis.' Her voice sounded like she was throwing out a line. Fishing. Maybe for the first time ever, I caught it. 'I love you too.'" The change in relationship between the sisters was one of my favorite parts of this book!
Loved it. Will continue to read Reay's stories.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
I Funny TV: A Middle School Story
by James Patterson
Hennepin County Library audiobook 3 CDs
read by Frankie Seratch
genre: YA humor
I have a bunch of these books but had never read one before. I listened to this while sewing on Saturday in my quilting studio. Interesting, but incredibly farfetched. Just heard a student today describe the "I Funny" books as soooo funny!
Guess you need a middle schooler sense of humor. I enjoyed young Jamie Grimm and his friends. I did *not* appreciate the bullies who would punch a kid, especially a kid in a wheelchair. I could not fathom adults who observed such bullying ignoring it. And Hollywood may be crazy to normal people, but it does *not* give a million dollar advance to a teenager based on winning a contest and as an advance for a pilot . . . which is shot in front of a live audience . . . with a teenage director.
I could go on, but I don't think I need to. I'm glad I have these in my collection and that they appeal to middle schoolers. Patterson is a very talented man.
Hennepin County Library audiobook 3 CDs
read by Frankie Seratch
genre: YA humor
I have a bunch of these books but had never read one before. I listened to this while sewing on Saturday in my quilting studio. Interesting, but incredibly farfetched. Just heard a student today describe the "I Funny" books as soooo funny!
Guess you need a middle schooler sense of humor. I enjoyed young Jamie Grimm and his friends. I did *not* appreciate the bullies who would punch a kid, especially a kid in a wheelchair. I could not fathom adults who observed such bullying ignoring it. And Hollywood may be crazy to normal people, but it does *not* give a million dollar advance to a teenager based on winning a contest and as an advance for a pilot . . . which is shot in front of a live audience . . . with a teenage director.
I could go on, but I don't think I need to. I'm glad I have these in my collection and that they appeal to middle schoolers. Patterson is a very talented man.
American Ace: the Pilot's Wins Hold a Secret Family History
by Marilyn Nelson
Hennepin County Library audiobook 2 discs
read by the author
genre: realistic fiction
I could NOT listen to this! Usually when a work is read by the author, I *love* it! But this was so irritating! Nelson is narrating the story from a teenage boy's perspective . . . and she did so in a painfully slow voice as though sounding things out for a kindergartener. I simply couldn't listen to it! The story itself was interesting, but I'll have to get it in print.
Here's the back cover blurb: "Connor's grandmother leaves his dad a letter when she dies, and the letter's confession shakes their tight-knit Italian American family. The man who raised Dad is not his birth father. But the only clues to this birth father's identity are a class ring and a pair of pilot's wings. And so Connor takes it upon himself to investigate - a pursuit that becomes even more pressing when Dad is hospitalized after a stroke. What Connor discovers will lead him and his father to a new, richer understanding of race, identity, and each other."
Hennepin County Library audiobook 2 discs
read by the author
genre: realistic fiction
I could NOT listen to this! Usually when a work is read by the author, I *love* it! But this was so irritating! Nelson is narrating the story from a teenage boy's perspective . . . and she did so in a painfully slow voice as though sounding things out for a kindergartener. I simply couldn't listen to it! The story itself was interesting, but I'll have to get it in print.
Here's the back cover blurb: "Connor's grandmother leaves his dad a letter when she dies, and the letter's confession shakes their tight-knit Italian American family. The man who raised Dad is not his birth father. But the only clues to this birth father's identity are a class ring and a pair of pilot's wings. And so Connor takes it upon himself to investigate - a pursuit that becomes even more pressing when Dad is hospitalized after a stroke. What Connor discovers will lead him and his father to a new, richer understanding of race, identity, and each other."
Pathos Rising
by Walter J Roers
Amazon paperback 183 pages
genre: realistic fiction
Mr. Roers is a very nice man (we had him as a guest author at our school a few years ago) but I don't like this book as well as his first title, The Pact. This one centers on Henry Blaine, a retired man who is seeing the challenges of aging from an uncomfortable place.
I don't even really want to describe this book. The parts I liked were quick bursts and passages (he really is a good writer!) but the parts I disliked were the entire man-going-through a post-midlife crisis theme. The ending was pleasantly wonderful, but not quite enough to make the book a success for me.
When the Ron character gets the Henry character to go to lunch with him after the breakup of Ron's marriage, Henry asks him why he cheated on his wife of 40 years; was it boredom? "No, I'm not just talking about being bored. I'm not that shallow. . . . I'm talking about being around someone who makes you feel good about yourself, who maybe makes you feel like they're thrilled to see you when you walk in the room. And, frankly, is maybe a little exciting sexually." Yeah, I'll just call you a shallow jerk, Ron.
Then when the guys are discussing Ron at lunch, Jake says, "If someone is a liar and a crook at seventeen, they'll be a liar and a crook when they're seventy. That's human nature." Henry says, "You can't be serious. You've just dismissed the whole idea of redemption and choices of conscience." I have to agree with Henry on this one!
Page 165 - "I could only think what phantoms we all carry with us and how the past forever reaches out and defines the present." This is just so very sad . . . and also so true for some people who struggle with forgiveness (of themselves and/or others) and redemption.
Amazon paperback 183 pages
genre: realistic fiction
Mr. Roers is a very nice man (we had him as a guest author at our school a few years ago) but I don't like this book as well as his first title, The Pact. This one centers on Henry Blaine, a retired man who is seeing the challenges of aging from an uncomfortable place.
I don't even really want to describe this book. The parts I liked were quick bursts and passages (he really is a good writer!) but the parts I disliked were the entire man-going-through a post-midlife crisis theme. The ending was pleasantly wonderful, but not quite enough to make the book a success for me.
When the Ron character gets the Henry character to go to lunch with him after the breakup of Ron's marriage, Henry asks him why he cheated on his wife of 40 years; was it boredom? "No, I'm not just talking about being bored. I'm not that shallow. . . . I'm talking about being around someone who makes you feel good about yourself, who maybe makes you feel like they're thrilled to see you when you walk in the room. And, frankly, is maybe a little exciting sexually." Yeah, I'll just call you a shallow jerk, Ron.
Then when the guys are discussing Ron at lunch, Jake says, "If someone is a liar and a crook at seventeen, they'll be a liar and a crook when they're seventy. That's human nature." Henry says, "You can't be serious. You've just dismissed the whole idea of redemption and choices of conscience." I have to agree with Henry on this one!
Page 165 - "I could only think what phantoms we all carry with us and how the past forever reaches out and defines the present." This is just so very sad . . . and also so true for some people who struggle with forgiveness (of themselves and/or others) and redemption.
The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to caring for persons with Alzheimer disease, related dementing illnesses, and memory loss in later life
by Mace and Rabins
loaned by a friend, paperback, lots of pages
genre: Non-fiction, care-giver support
This looked quite good, but my mother (who had dementia) is dead, and I've got more books to read than time right now. Since I've put in my resignation notice already for the end of this year, I'm trying to finish the books I need to return to Chaska people.
I wanted to include a blog entry so that if/when I find myself in a place to seek this info, I can just go ahead and buy this book for myself. I read through the table of contents and know this would be valuable.
(Above was written 2.28.17 and I'm adding below on 3.8.17.)
I have a blog called "Lessons Learned While Caring for Elderly Parents" and it's at http://lessonslearnedcaregiving.blogspot.com/ I haven't written a lot in it, but I'll try to get back into it. It's so hard to deal with aging parents and the challenges (emotional, social, financial, physical) that come along with it! Leave comments or questions for me on that blog.
loaned by a friend, paperback, lots of pages
genre: Non-fiction, care-giver support
This looked quite good, but my mother (who had dementia) is dead, and I've got more books to read than time right now. Since I've put in my resignation notice already for the end of this year, I'm trying to finish the books I need to return to Chaska people.
I wanted to include a blog entry so that if/when I find myself in a place to seek this info, I can just go ahead and buy this book for myself. I read through the table of contents and know this would be valuable.
(Above was written 2.28.17 and I'm adding below on 3.8.17.)
I have a blog called "Lessons Learned While Caring for Elderly Parents" and it's at http://lessonslearnedcaregiving.blogspot.com/ I haven't written a lot in it, but I'll try to get back into it. It's so hard to deal with aging parents and the challenges (emotional, social, financial, physical) that come along with it! Leave comments or questions for me on that blog.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Plants Vs. Zombies: Bully for You
written by Paul Tobin and art by Ron Chan
Hennepin County Library hardcover 92 pages
genre: YA graphic novel, zombies
A student asked me about this title. No one in the district had it, but I was curious so I got it from the public library. Definitely not my kind of book . . . weird (even for zombies) and the Uncle Dave character (who looks sort of zombie-ish himself, though without the green pallor) was just too strange. I don't "get" the appeal. If I had a big enough budget, I'd buy it. If kids want to read, I want to encourage that habit!
Hennepin County Library hardcover 92 pages
genre: YA graphic novel, zombies
A student asked me about this title. No one in the district had it, but I was curious so I got it from the public library. Definitely not my kind of book . . . weird (even for zombies) and the Uncle Dave character (who looks sort of zombie-ish himself, though without the green pallor) was just too strange. I don't "get" the appeal. If I had a big enough budget, I'd buy it. If kids want to read, I want to encourage that habit!
Chomp
by Carl Hiaasen
Hennepin County Library audiobook 5 discs
read by James Van Der Beek
genre: YA humor
Louie and I enjoyed this on the way to and from the lake this past weekend! Hiaasen is such a wonderful author (though I like his adolescent fiction much better than his adult fiction).
Chomp is the story of animal wrangler Mickey Cray and his son Wahoo (named for a wrestler, not the fish). They take a job with a nature channel's reality show starring Derek Badger as a survivalist. Wahoo's classmate Tuna is on the run from her abusive father and joins up with the Crays. Down in the Everglades, chaos erupts and hilarity ensues. Very fun story!
Hennepin County Library audiobook 5 discs
read by James Van Der Beek
genre: YA humor
Louie and I enjoyed this on the way to and from the lake this past weekend! Hiaasen is such a wonderful author (though I like his adolescent fiction much better than his adult fiction).
Chomp is the story of animal wrangler Mickey Cray and his son Wahoo (named for a wrestler, not the fish). They take a job with a nature channel's reality show starring Derek Badger as a survivalist. Wahoo's classmate Tuna is on the run from her abusive father and joins up with the Crays. Down in the Everglades, chaos erupts and hilarity ensues. Very fun story!
Dead End in Norvelt
by Jack Gantos
Hennepin County Library audiobook 6 discs / PRMS hardcover 341 pages
genre: YA humor / historical fiction
read by the author . . .
Warning! I *will* include spoilers.
When a colleague saw that I was reading this book, she expressed disappointment in the title. I was mostly enjoying it, until I go to the end and thought, "What?! That's it?!"
I have put this in the "historical" genre of my collection, but it could easily be in the "humor" section. There are lots of amusing bits in this story. The main character's name is . . . Jack Gantos. I thought it odd that the author would use his own name about this skinny, pathetic kid who has nosebleeds all the time. Set in 1962, how much of it is autobiographical?
The town was named after EleaNOR RooseVELT, and she was the inspiration for this small town of poor people whose lives depended in large part on the coal mines. The importance of history came through clearly, and I truly enjoyed the character of Miss Volker, who writes the obituaries for the local paper.
The "huh?" parts at the end can be expressed through my questions. Mr. Spizz murdered a bunch of people to try to win over Miss Volker? And he tried to frame Jack for the poisoning? How does that fit into a humorous story? The dad encourages his son to throw paint bombs at the drive-in theatre? No one calls Mr. Huffer on his land grabs? What the heck was the Hells Angels stuff? There are so many loose ends and unanswered questions . . . I'm not even sure the author knew what he was trying to say.
The story on page 81 about Jack's dad taking him deer hunting and Jack's true feelings toward the idea of killing the deer . . . this was poignant.
Mom's shouting on page 122 made me chuckle. I can relate. "How do you remember all that stuff?" I asked over my shoulder as I ran back down the hall. "I have it memorized," she shouted behind me, "because I'm forced to say it every day of your animal boy life!"
Overall, an enjoyable book with a regrettable non-conclusion.
Hennepin County Library audiobook 6 discs / PRMS hardcover 341 pages
genre: YA humor / historical fiction
read by the author . . .
Warning! I *will* include spoilers.
When a colleague saw that I was reading this book, she expressed disappointment in the title. I was mostly enjoying it, until I go to the end and thought, "What?! That's it?!"
I have put this in the "historical" genre of my collection, but it could easily be in the "humor" section. There are lots of amusing bits in this story. The main character's name is . . . Jack Gantos. I thought it odd that the author would use his own name about this skinny, pathetic kid who has nosebleeds all the time. Set in 1962, how much of it is autobiographical?
The town was named after EleaNOR RooseVELT, and she was the inspiration for this small town of poor people whose lives depended in large part on the coal mines. The importance of history came through clearly, and I truly enjoyed the character of Miss Volker, who writes the obituaries for the local paper.
The "huh?" parts at the end can be expressed through my questions. Mr. Spizz murdered a bunch of people to try to win over Miss Volker? And he tried to frame Jack for the poisoning? How does that fit into a humorous story? The dad encourages his son to throw paint bombs at the drive-in theatre? No one calls Mr. Huffer on his land grabs? What the heck was the Hells Angels stuff? There are so many loose ends and unanswered questions . . . I'm not even sure the author knew what he was trying to say.
The story on page 81 about Jack's dad taking him deer hunting and Jack's true feelings toward the idea of killing the deer . . . this was poignant.
Mom's shouting on page 122 made me chuckle. I can relate. "How do you remember all that stuff?" I asked over my shoulder as I ran back down the hall. "I have it memorized," she shouted behind me, "because I'm forced to say it every day of your animal boy life!"
Overall, an enjoyable book with a regrettable non-conclusion.
Friday, February 17, 2017
Cover Up: Mystery at the Super Bowl
by John Feinstein
Hennepin County Library audiobook 5 discs
read by the author
genre: YA realistic fiction, sports
Not my genre, but an enjoyable enough story. I finally learned how to pronounce the author's name - "Fine-steen" not "Fine- Stine" like I'd been saying. This is the third book with teenage journalists Stevie and Susan Carol. (Their names make me cringe . . . ) They are finally heading into the boyfriend / girlfriend territory.
The usual intrigue, blustering, and sleuthing. The idea of two teenagers getting this much attention from professional athletes, journalists, etc. . . . was a bit too much of a reach for me. But I think tweens and some teens will find a lot to like in the story.
My favorite part was the riffs on Stevie not reading enough and the references to The Caine Mutiny. Literary allusions - yes!
Hennepin County Library audiobook 5 discs
read by the author
genre: YA realistic fiction, sports
Not my genre, but an enjoyable enough story. I finally learned how to pronounce the author's name - "Fine-steen" not "Fine- Stine" like I'd been saying. This is the third book with teenage journalists Stevie and Susan Carol. (Their names make me cringe . . . ) They are finally heading into the boyfriend / girlfriend territory.
The usual intrigue, blustering, and sleuthing. The idea of two teenagers getting this much attention from professional athletes, journalists, etc. . . . was a bit too much of a reach for me. But I think tweens and some teens will find a lot to like in the story.
My favorite part was the riffs on Stevie not reading enough and the references to The Caine Mutiny. Literary allusions - yes!
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Unwind
by Neal Shusterman
PRMS hardcover 335 pages
genre: YA SciFi Dystopia
You can read a plot summary elsewhere. I just want to record a few notes before I head to bed.
Connor - rebel, troublemaker, quick to fight
Risa - ward of the state, raised in a StaHo (State Home)
Lev - a tithe, from the time he was a baby
page 75 - "'People shouldn't do a lot of things,' says Connor. He knows they're both right, but it doesn't make a difference. In a perfect world mothers would all want their babies and strangers would open up their homes to the unloved. In a perfect world everything would be either black or white, right or wrong, and everyone would know the difference. But this isn't a perfect world. The problem is people who think it is."
page 111 - I love the scene in the antique shop with Sonia! "One thing you learn when you've lived as long as I have - people aren't all good, and people aren't all bad. We move in and out of darkness and light all of our lives. Right now, I'm pleased to be in the light."
page 231 - "The Admiral has three of his most accessible and well-appointed jets set aside as study spaces, complete with libraries, computers, and the resources to learn anything you want to learn. 'This is not a school,' the Admiral told them shortly after they arrived. 'There are no teachers, there are no exams.' Oddly, it's precisely that lack of expectation that keeps the study jets full most of the time."
page 304 - "The first step is the hardest, but from that moment on he decides that he will neither run nor dawdle. He will neither quiver nor fight. He will take this last walk of his life in steady strides - and in a few weeks from now, someone, somewhere, will hold in their mind the memory that this young man, whoever he was, faced his unwinding with dignity and pride."
page 329 - The conversation between Pastor Dan and Lev - my fave scene! "I still very much believe in God - just not a god who condones human tithing." I should just put a picture of the page here . . . so very, very good.
Shusterman is an amazing author. This one is older than Scythe, but he raises such intense topics within a very engaging story with characters who draw the reader in. Amazing!
PRMS hardcover 335 pages
genre: YA SciFi Dystopia
You can read a plot summary elsewhere. I just want to record a few notes before I head to bed.
Connor - rebel, troublemaker, quick to fight
Risa - ward of the state, raised in a StaHo (State Home)
Lev - a tithe, from the time he was a baby
page 75 - "'People shouldn't do a lot of things,' says Connor. He knows they're both right, but it doesn't make a difference. In a perfect world mothers would all want their babies and strangers would open up their homes to the unloved. In a perfect world everything would be either black or white, right or wrong, and everyone would know the difference. But this isn't a perfect world. The problem is people who think it is."
page 111 - I love the scene in the antique shop with Sonia! "One thing you learn when you've lived as long as I have - people aren't all good, and people aren't all bad. We move in and out of darkness and light all of our lives. Right now, I'm pleased to be in the light."
page 231 - "The Admiral has three of his most accessible and well-appointed jets set aside as study spaces, complete with libraries, computers, and the resources to learn anything you want to learn. 'This is not a school,' the Admiral told them shortly after they arrived. 'There are no teachers, there are no exams.' Oddly, it's precisely that lack of expectation that keeps the study jets full most of the time."
page 304 - "The first step is the hardest, but from that moment on he decides that he will neither run nor dawdle. He will neither quiver nor fight. He will take this last walk of his life in steady strides - and in a few weeks from now, someone, somewhere, will hold in their mind the memory that this young man, whoever he was, faced his unwinding with dignity and pride."
page 329 - The conversation between Pastor Dan and Lev - my fave scene! "I still very much believe in God - just not a god who condones human tithing." I should just put a picture of the page here . . . so very, very good.
Shusterman is an amazing author. This one is older than Scythe, but he raises such intense topics within a very engaging story with characters who draw the reader in. Amazing!
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Becoming Billie Holiday
by Carole Boston Weatherford
Art by Floyd Cooper
PRMS hardcover 111 pages
genre: YA prose poetry based on Holiday's life
This was amazing! I never knew Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan) had such a hard life. Weatherford's poems cover her young life into her early fame as a singer. Cooper's illustrations are powerful. It makes me want to listen to some of her music (which I haven't heard in a long time). This has been on my shelf for a long time, and I wondered what kind of reader I could recommend it to. Now I know. Lady sings the blues, indeed. With a childhood like hers, I can see why that music resonated for her.
Art by Floyd Cooper
PRMS hardcover 111 pages
genre: YA prose poetry based on Holiday's life
This was amazing! I never knew Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan) had such a hard life. Weatherford's poems cover her young life into her early fame as a singer. Cooper's illustrations are powerful. It makes me want to listen to some of her music (which I haven't heard in a long time). This has been on my shelf for a long time, and I wondered what kind of reader I could recommend it to. Now I know. Lady sings the blues, indeed. With a childhood like hers, I can see why that music resonated for her.
Monday, February 06, 2017
Crossed
by Ally Condie
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Kate Simses and Jack Riccobono
genre: YA dystopian (book 2 after Matched)
Mildly interesting to see where this story goes . . . the Society has made life miserable for both Ky and Cassia as they strive to find one another. Set primarily in canyons remarkably like those of the Grand Canyon area, the action is fairly interesting. The interpersonal stuff just got irritating for me.
At one point, I wondered if it was the actual written text or the performers' vocal work that was irritating me so much. The agonizingly drawn-out conversations about nothing made me want a print copy so I could do some skim-reading.
That said, I loved how books, poetry, reading, writing, painting, etc. were so highly valued by those escaping the Society. I like the Farmers and these young people striving to break away from the control of their lives.
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Kate Simses and Jack Riccobono
genre: YA dystopian (book 2 after Matched)
Mildly interesting to see where this story goes . . . the Society has made life miserable for both Ky and Cassia as they strive to find one another. Set primarily in canyons remarkably like those of the Grand Canyon area, the action is fairly interesting. The interpersonal stuff just got irritating for me.
At one point, I wondered if it was the actual written text or the performers' vocal work that was irritating me so much. The agonizingly drawn-out conversations about nothing made me want a print copy so I could do some skim-reading.
That said, I loved how books, poetry, reading, writing, painting, etc. were so highly valued by those escaping the Society. I like the Farmers and these young people striving to break away from the control of their lives.
Sunday, February 05, 2017
The Phoenix Files (#4 Underground, #5 Fallout, and #6 Doomsday)
by Chris Morphew
loaned to me (last spring!) by a student
paperback, 323, 318, and 405 pages respectively
genre: YA SciFi, Adventure
Sigh. I'm glad I'm finally done with these. The narrator of #4 was Luke, which I liked. The narrator of #5 was Jordan, which bugged me. The narrator of #6 bounced between Luke, Jordan, Bill, and Peter. This worked pretty well, but I just wanted the story to be over. The Luke and Jordan romance was never romantic. The entire Phoenix / Shackleton / Co-operative / end of the world scenario was simply too far-fetched. Oh, and the time travel and superpowers really pushed it over the edge.
It was nice of my student to loan these to me. I'm glad he was enthusiastic about reading them. The pacing and action level kept the stories moving along. I should probably write him a nice thank you note or give him a Barnes and Noble gift card or something . . .
loaned to me (last spring!) by a student
paperback, 323, 318, and 405 pages respectively
genre: YA SciFi, Adventure
Sigh. I'm glad I'm finally done with these. The narrator of #4 was Luke, which I liked. The narrator of #5 was Jordan, which bugged me. The narrator of #6 bounced between Luke, Jordan, Bill, and Peter. This worked pretty well, but I just wanted the story to be over. The Luke and Jordan romance was never romantic. The entire Phoenix / Shackleton / Co-operative / end of the world scenario was simply too far-fetched. Oh, and the time travel and superpowers really pushed it over the edge.
It was nice of my student to loan these to me. I'm glad he was enthusiastic about reading them. The pacing and action level kept the stories moving along. I should probably write him a nice thank you note or give him a Barnes and Noble gift card or something . . .
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