Wednesday, March 25, 2015

What I'm Reading Now: March Edition

I have been on a bit of a reading frenzy recently, which also means I have more books on my plate than normal. I just can't seem to help starting something new even if I'm already juggling more books than is probably good for me. Nah - I can totally handle it! Here's a look at what I'm reading now.

On my Nook: Andy McBean and the War of the Worlds by Dale Kutzera - On my alphabetical saga through my e-books I started this on my lunch break today. It's a middle grade adventure with Andy McBean, recently in remission from an as of yet unspecified type of cancer, being faced with a full on invasion from outer space and his first potential crush. The tone is light, but also dealing with some larger real-life issues such as how over-protective Andy's mother is since his hospitalization. Looking forward to seeing how things play out. I think my favorite parts so far though have been the snippets where we get to see one of the invader's perspectives and I'm hoping there will be more of him as the story progresses.

On my phone: A Dangerous Inheritance: A Novel of Tudor Rivals and the Secret of the Tower by Alison Weir - My Nook froze up Sunday night, so I was relegated to reading on my phone's Nook app during my lunch yesterday. I started this book in my alphabetical saga (my phone uses articles in alphabetization whereas my Nook does not?) and I really just want to sit down and power through it. I love Alison Weir's historical fiction and with her scholarly background I also feel that the time period rings a little more true than some other historical fiction I've read. Weir's book Innocent Traitor about Lady Jane Grey is probably my all time favorite historical fiction novel and I have recommended it countless times. Loving where this book is going and curious as to how she is going to weave together the story of the two Katherines.

In Print Fiction: Thursdays with the Crown by Jessica Day George - speaking of my Nook freezing up. I was settling in to read before going to sleep when it happened, so of course I didn't want to walk all the way out to the other room to get the print book I've been reading in the mornings, so I grabbed this off my shelf of last year's BEA treasures. I adore this series and I got this ARC signed, which makes it even better. This is the third book in the series and continues the adventures of young Celie and her griffin and the mysterious castle with a mind of its own. I've barely started it, but there have already been some startling turns of events so it's looking to be another fantastic read.

In Print Fiction: Dangerous by Shannon Hale - There are a lot of authors I like, but there are only a handful whose books are must buy immediately, and one of them is Shannon Hale. This book had slipped through the cracks and I snagged it on one of my last days working at the bookstore before moving to my new life. I finally pulled it out and it's seriously amazing. It's about a girl who gets chosen to go to space camp and then she and a small group of other kids get chosen to go up to the space station and then they get invaded by alien tech. Oh and did I mention that she is super smart and happens to have been born with one arm and is home schooled and bilingual and there is everything good about this book so far and isn't this the coolest cover, too? I'm dying to finish it.

In Print Non-Fiction: The Librarians Guide to Graphic Novels for Adults by David S. Serchay - I've become the graphic novel specialist for our library where we're trying to develop that section from very small to less small. I've been given almost complete reign and have spent time talking to faculty who use GNs in their classes as well as browsing for award winners, best-of lists, etc. So far this book gives some nice overview to the genre, though I haven't yet read much I didn't know already. It's still an interesting book I get to read as part of my job (I still can't get over that this kind of stuff I get paid for).

On Audio in my Car: The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi - Picked this up at the library on a whim and I'm completely fascinated by this story. It's about Italy's Jack the Ripper and there is such an interesting weaving of history and culture and mystery that I kind of just want to drive around so I can hear more of it.

On TV: The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - Okay, so technically I already finished this since I binge-watched all 12 episodes in 3 days *cough cough* BUT it's so good I just want to keep talking about it. I am not a big sitcom person, so when I find one that makes me crack up consistently it makes me super happy. Tina Fey is the creator and it's a Netflix Original. Basically it's about a girl who was kidnapped by a crazy doomsday preacher who locked her and 3 other women up in a bunker for 15 years telling them a nuclear apocalypse had wiped out all life on earth. They're rescued and Kimmy decides to stay in New York rather than return to Indiana where she will always be known as one of the Mole Women. She finds a job with a crazy rich family (they're crazy, and crazy rich) and becomes roommates with a big gay black dude whose dream is to play in the Lion King on Broadway. Oh, and they rent their apartment from Carol Kane. Warning: The theme song will get stuck in your head for days. Literal days.

So what are you reading/listening to/watching?

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