Wires and Nerve

by Marissa Meyer
art by Doug Holgate
PRMS hardcover 238 pages
genre: YA graphic novel, fantasy

I've only read Cinder in Meyer's Lunar Chronicles, but this amazing little book makes me even more intrigued to read the rest of the series. What an interesting concept, with specially-gifted Lunars and people on Earth who are skeptical of the new queen and peace. Meyer is so talented!

A Bridge Across the Ocean

by Susan Meissner
Scott County Library paperback 348 pages
genre: Historical fiction

This book surprised me a bit, since ghosts and people who can communicate with ghosts are the focus. Usually Meissner's books are a bit more inspiring. She did the usual multiple characters / different eras thing . . . and even though they all come together, it's a bit disconcerting to have to keep track of the characters and their storylines.

page 162 - Everett has Simone find a French Bible so he can learn the language (and he can teach Simone English from his Bible) - love this scene!

page 247 - Simone is reliving her nightmare of being raped by the Gestapo officer and her horror at having shot him to death. "There had been a time when the man with the gold tooth had been a little boy who loved playing with his dog and fishing with his grandfather and eating ice cream on hot summer days. Back then he didn't have a gold tooth, or the uniform, or the desire to kill and steal and destroy. He had been like her. Young and curious and hopeful. Something had happened to that little boy." Sometimes I need to think about who people really are and how they became that way. . . including myself.

page 262 - When Brette is having the conversation with her mother about choosing to get pregnant, even knowing that the Sight might be passed to a girl, her mom's response is perfect. "But we don't ever get to know those kinds of things about our unborn children, Brette. That's the beauty and burden of having a child. You don't pick and choose the one you think you want, you are handed the one God gives you."

page 324 - "You can't wish for control; you can only learn to play your part in a world where nothing is truly certain."

page 345 - Annaliese's letter to Brette - "Life will send us across a bridge we did not want to cross, but when we finally open our eyes on the other side, we see that there had been nothing to fear after all."

I'm looking forward to book club tonight to discuss this!

Amazing Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir

by Stan Lee, Peter David, and Colleen Doran
Hennepin County Library hardcover unpaged
genre: graphic novel non-fiction, biography

This was very well-done and interesting! Stan Lee is a Marvel legend for good reason. It was interesting to learn more about him and his life. There's an interesting mix of humility and pride in this book about his life and achievements.

A Fatal Grace

by Louise Penny
Hennepin County Library audiobook 9 discs
read by Ralph Cosham
genre: murder mystery / detective
***Spoilers ahead!***

Ugh! I wish I'd read these books in order! This is book two, but the fourth one I've read. I'm getting good at IDing the killer early in the story . . . it's generally not one of the main characters that I've come to know and love (Peter and Clara, Ruth, etc.)

One problem with the audiobook is . . . not seeing the text. I *assumed* the murdered bag lady was "L" and not "Elle" . . . but they were assuming the other way around.

I loved the word play and letters - Bea (B), Eleanor / Elle (L), Emily (M), Kay (K), and of course a C for CC. Since I already knew that Henri would become Gamache's dog, as soon as he showed up with the three women, I knew they would be out of the picture by the end of the book.

Too many F-bombs in the book . . . I loved the conversation between Gamache and Nicole after the fire. I saw him identifying her situation with his own pain and experience in the Arnault case. But then, the horrible twist with her skewing the conversation and the meaning! Ugh! she has such low self-esteem!

I'm curious to watch the movie The Lion in Winter . . . Eleanor of Aquitaine (as played by Katherine Hepburn) sounds intriguing.

Psalm 46:10 - "Be still and know that I am God." (Not Be Calm . . . again with the word play)

I cried at the part that described Ruth having to put her dog Sunny down.

I find myself wanting to travel to these places - some fiction, some fact. St. Remy, Williamsburg, Three Pines, Montreal . . .

Frankheur (sp?) - / Arnault case / Braeboeuf . . . I really, really, really should have read the books in order. For how much the Arnault case figures into Gamache's life and these stories, it precedes book one of this series!

CC DePoitier is *cruel* - I felt so bad for her daughter. Gabri and Ruth trading insults just made me laugh.

The chin hairs comment made me think of my mom and Louise! Why oh why didn't anyone speak up for Crie?

Henri / poopsicles - made me laugh.

Gamache told Rene Marie who killed CC . . . but we're left in suspense.

I wonder if there's a collected poetry book of all "Ruth's" poems? I should see. Hearing it makes me miss reading poetry.

Lettings people kill themselves vs. being brought to justice. Interesting how the parallels between the three graces and Arnault are drawn.

Lemon meringue pie / God / Scripture - I liked this story a lot more than the third one in the series!

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

by Eric Metaxas
Hennepin County Libary hardcover 542 pages
genre: non-fiction biography

I only got to page 36 - I just don't have the time to read this now. I think I'd rather read his book The Cost of Discipleship than this huge book on his life. It is interesting, but very detailed!

They were a very wealthy family! Eight kids and at least five staff members . . . wow! There was a family legacy of faith and achievement.

The impact of Martin Luther - theologically and musically - rang through loud and clear. "Before Luther, no one outside the choir sand in church." Congregational singing invites participation in the worship!

The love of music ran deep in the entire family.

I read a bit at the end, when Bonhoeffer and others were being taken to their deaths. So very sad that a German pastor who spoke out against Hitler and the Nazi atrocities didn't survive the war. I'm glad we have so many writings about his life and faith.

Princess Jellyfish

by Akiko Higashimura
Hennepin County Library paperback unpaged
genre: YA manga

I don't generally like manga, but this one kept me reading until the end . . . and it was a thick, multi-volume story. I'm even curious about what happens next, though I won't pursue it.

Eighteen-year-old Tsukimi Kurashira is a fujoshi (anti-social manga artist) . . . since I've already returned this to the library and I read through the glossary while I was tired, I've looked it up on Wikipedia:

Fujoshi (腐女子, lit. "rotten girl") is a self-mockingly pejorative Japanese term for female fans of manga and novels that feature romantic relationships between men. ... The name was coined by mass media, but was reclaimed by yaoi fans.

There is a politician with two sons, the younger a 20-something who likes to dress as a beautiful girl but insists he is perfectly normal. There is a "nunnery" apartment filled with fujoshi, an evil developer who will stoop to any tactics to get her way, and Tsukimi's memories of her mother.

Curses! Foiled Again!

written by Jane Yolen, art by Mike Cavallaro
PRMS paperback 160 pages
genre: YA graphic novel fantasy

Further adventures of fencer (and Defender of the Fairies) Aliera, her cousin Caroline, and the troll-cum-gorgeous human Avery. Fun stories, new adventures.

Mighty Jack

by Ben Hatke
Hennepin County Library paperback 205 pages
genre: YA graphic novel fantasy

I loved this one! A jack-in-the-beanstalk story that includes a sister with autism and killer plants, I would definitely recommend this for middle school readers. Love it!

The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are

by Brene' Brown
Amazon purchase, paperback, 130 pages
genre: non-fiction, wholeheartedness

This wasn't quite what I expected, but there were some interesting observations. Brown is a researcher and down-to-earth person who started studying the areas of guilt and shame, but turned to wholeheartedness as she interviewed more and more people and saw some interesting connections.

Although I underlined a lot, I want to give it to someone else for whom I think it will resonate more than it did for me. I just want to record her "guideposts" here.

1 - Cultivating Authenticity (Letting go of what people think)
2 - Cultivating Self-Compassion (Letting go of perfectionism)
3 - Cultivating a Resilient Spirit (Letting go of numbing and powerlessness)
4 - Cultivating Gratitude and Joy (Letting go of scarcity and fear of the dark)
5 - Cultivating Intuition and Trusting Faith (Letting go of the need for certainty)
6 - Cultivating Creativity (Letting go of comparison)
7 - Cultivating Play and Rest (Letting go of exhaustion as a status symbol and productivity as self-worth)
8 - Cultivating Calm and Stillness (Letting go of anxiety as a lifestyle)
9 - Cultivating Meaningful Work (Letting go of self-doubt and "supposed to")
10 - Cultivating Laughter, Song, and Dance (Letting go of being cool and "always in control")

One part I marked is page 90 - "I also learned that it's not always the scientists who struggle with faith and the religious who fully embrace uncertainty. Many forms of fundamentalism and extremism are about choosing certainty over faith." As a Christian, I am okay with "not knowing" all the answers . . . yet at the same time, there are things about life that I am extremely confident in because of my faith in God.

I like her guideposts, but this was not a book that resonated deeply for me. I feel as though I'm in a different place in my life right now . . . and this might have been more helpful a decade ago. I had also thought that it was a Christian book, and though she talks about spirituality and prayer, it's not quite what I had expected.

Prez: Corndog-in-Chief (volume 1)

by Mark Russell (and others)
Hennepin County Library paperback
genre: YA graphic novel

I'm so glad I read the "old" Prez and this new version together! Again, what a commentary on politics and modern society. An election via Twitter, the youth vote, crooked politicians . . . and we end up with a teenage president. Health care is only for the wealthy, violence and racism are rampant, and the new president just wants to make the world a better place.

Prez: The First Teen President

by Joe Simon (and others)
Hennepin County Library paperback
genre: graphic novel

I got this when the "new" Prez comic showed up on my summer reading list. This is a product of the 1970s, but very interesting. It reminds me of reading MAD magazine back in the 70s . . . Boss Smiley and others help to make some pointed observations about crooked politicians. The additional Prez stories at the end definitely highlighted other peoples' opinions and styles. The one by Ed Brubaker and Eric Shanower was especially harsh, filled with F-bombs and nudity.

I'm glad I read it, especially along with the new Prez.

Power Up

by Kate Leth and Matt Cummings
Hennepin County Library paperback
genre: YA superhero graphic novel

Although I like the idea of "alternative" superheroes, this one didn't work for me. I think my readers would love it, and I'd definitely buy it for the collection if I had money. I didn't really understand the scene where they got their powers. I should probably re-read it, but I'd rather not.

Princess Princess Ever After

by Katie O'Neill
Hennepin County paperback
genre: YA graphic novel

Superficial story with an odd mix of really young (geared to early elementary?) and mature. Fairy tale with Amira (captain / warrior princess) and Sadie (girly princess, relegated to a tower a la Rapunzel by her evil sister, who calls Sadie a "fat silly crybaby."

I think the author is trying to do too much without going deep - body identity, fat shaming, parental manipulation, feminism, LGBTQ, gender roles (Prince ??? I forgot the derogatory nickname for him, doesn't like his lot in life either) . . . The artwork is lovely, but this one just didn't do much for me.

Saving Amelie

By Cathy Gohlke
Hennepin County Library paperback 429 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction

Since I was only halfway done with this when my book club discussed it, I missed out on a lot of meaning. Then I've had to force myself to finish reading it. Set during WWII, this book takes a look at the eugenics programs at the time. Main character Rachel Kramer was adopted as an infant and raised in the United States.

If you want a summary - visit Amazon. I don't think I can do a good job with this blog entry.

Pages that stood out and I put post-its on:
117 - "Even with the Nazis' heavy censoring, enough came through to New York that it should have infuriated the country. Where was his 'Christian nation,' anyway? Weren't they supposed to help the oppressed and needy?" I cannot imagine what it was like for people in 1939 in America . . . or why so many of us aren't outraged at current-day atrocities around the globe. It makes me sad and curious about humanity.

136 - "She lifted her head. But it's not the end. No, I have the children's choir and I have Oma, and I will hold this day." Lea amazes me with her courage and strength! I need to work on having this kind of deep faith and hope. It's so hard when you're feeling discouraged by things in life.

138 - Lea feels as though things are going *too* well and something is wrong. Her grandmother is an encourager! "Joy is the gift of God, and you are His child. He loves you so."

163 - I love the inclusion of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the story. "But we've come to practice cheap grace - grace that appears as a godly form but costs us nothing - and that is an abomination, a stench in the nostrils of God!" I have started reading a book about Bonhoeffer, but would like to read the book he wrote on grace sometime . . .

208 - "It was dangerous to be an individual in the Reich today - dangerous to be committed to or allied with anyone but Hitler and the Nazi Party. And that made aligning yourself with the radical Jesus dangerous." This made me think of the song "Rabble-rousing radical man" . . . I love thinking of Jesus this way. The radical Jesus is someone my mom would have loved! (And perhaps she got to know him before the end of her physical life.)

301 - I just love the language here: "So much craziness, so many lies to sort out, and all of them woven, like plaits, into her mind." Sometimes lately, I wonder how much my thinking can change. So much of what's in my head is in how I was raised. (In addition to nature and nurture, aging and conscious choices shape us.)

303 - "Such a vast network to keep straight and so many lives at stake - Curate Bauer spent more time than ever on his knees." Prayer is so important! I should be spending more time praying, not less, when I feel busy and stressed out!

401 - "Amelie sighed. It was happiness to be loved and wanted." Yes.

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

by Jacqueline Kelly
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 discs
read by Natalie Ross
genre: YA historical fiction

I "read" this a few weeks ago, so these are just random notes and memories of the book.

• set in 1899 . . . hard for most of my students to relate to
• Origin of Species / library - oh! I hate it when the librarians are nasty. I understand that there are people like that (especially more than one hundred years ago, but still - yuk!) I agree with Callie's comment "Some people aren't fit to be librarians!"
•  "wind machine" - a kerosene powered fan! Crazy - I never knew such a thing existed!
• "princely pecans" - I like that! (And I love pecan pies . . . )
• I had to re-listen to the CD a few times to get this down: ". . . a carved whale's tooth etched with a bosomy lady not exactly contained by her corset." (One of Callie's observations when she's allowed into Grandfather's library.)
• Grandpa telling her about the Civil War - powerful
• LOL on alcohol test!!! I love grandpa!
• mom's attitude toward living in same house with father-in-law . . . yeah. I can relate.
• grandpa - importance of "husbanding" one's time and spending it on worthy pursuits. Didn't learn this until he was age 50 . . . wisdom comes with age . . . again, I can relate. I want to spend my time on worthwhile pursuits also.
• Kids - Harry (17), Sam Houston (15?), Lamar (13?), Calpurnia (12), Travis (10, tender-hearted, has cats), Saul Ross (8), Jim Bowie (5, "JB")
• Her moment of revelation when talking to Lula - "I want to go to the university." Powerful! (Much different than her parents giving her "The Science of Housewifery" as a Christmas gift.) A feminist 12-year-old in 1899 . . . interesting!
• *loved* when Callie Vee truly realized Viola's meaning in her life! "Viola never lied to me." / Hugged her "tiny bird bones" - "It was interesting that such a slight frame could contain so large a person."

I ended up really enjoying this book! I'm glad I read it, but I remember some of the comments when it won the Newbery in 2010 - the unappealing cover and being set in 1899 make this a book not many kiddos will pick up. Smart elementary and early middle schoolers will love it! (Mostly girls, I'm guessing.) I want to recommend it to Nina! (a science teacher at my school) I think she would like it as well.

Love 2.0: How our supreme emotion affects everything we feel, think, do, and become

by Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D.
Hennepin library, hardcover 195 pages plus notes
genre: non-fiction, psychology

I got this because it was mentioned in another book I am reading. It sounded interesting, but I won't read it. It's due back to the library today with a waiting list of other readers. My quick-look was enough for me . . . if you don't believe in Jesus Christ, this book might be awesome for you. Love is a powerful experience and Fredrickson defines it and talks about its power in our lives.

Here's the table of contents:
Part I. The Vision
1 - Love, Our Supreme Emotion
2 - What Love Is
3 - Love's Biology
4 - Love's Ripples
Part II. The Guidance
5 - Loving Kindness
6 - Loving Self
7 - Loving Others, in Sickness and in Health
8 - Loving Without Borders
9 - A Closing Loving Glance

As a believer in God's ultimate love for all of us, I'll stick with reading the Bible on this topic. I remember an old boyfriend a long time ago accusing me of being "in love with love." As I struggle with my attitude and negativity, I think I'd rather be guilty of loving love too much! (Though I'm pretty sure he was referring to romanticism . . . )