Look, I know this is a deeply unpopular view, but I need to get it out in the open. I like humidity. I prefer it to dryness. Let me count the ways: My hands do not crack and bleed My face does not feel tight and stiff My hair does not become a static-y crazy halo My lungs do not…
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If I Stay by Gayle Forman
9 of 10: If I Stay is a terrific book. Well-written, excellently paced, and will probably shred your heart into a trillion pieces. If you like contemporary YA fiction, you will probably love this book. I have heard nothing but rave reviews about If I Stay and sometimes that makes me worried that it’ll turn out to be a huge…
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Three Weeks
In three weeks, school will be over. I will have presented my capstone project, every paper and notebook and project will have been turned in, and I will have a masters degree (I plan to insist on being called “Master Janssen.” You are all asked to comply). I will have only one job. I will have more time to read…
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I Went To Arizona and All I Got Was This Lousy Picture
That’s not true. I didn’t even get a picture. Last year, when Kayla came out to Las Vegas, I’d neglected to bring my camera and she’d forgotten the memory card for her camera, so we ended up with a single picture taken on my parents’ iMac. This year, despite having a professional photographer living in the house, we took not…
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Taken by Storm by Angela Morrison
7 of 10: Taken By Storm is not the best book I’ve read this year, but it handled topics I rarely see addressed in YA literature, let alone in such a thoughtful and realistic way. Cheers to Angela Morrison for tackling some hard issues so successfully. Mainstream books about Mormon characters often make me a little nervous. I have seen…
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