Past the Point of No Return
The Girl Who Could Fly – Victoria Forester – Cute, but it wasn’t until the last 50 pages that I really loved it. Kind of a slow start.
Along for the Ride – Sarah Dessen – One of her best. But then, I love Sarah Dessen; you know that.
Waiting for You – Susane Colasanti – Fine, but not great. She gets touted as the next Sarah Dessen sometimes and I just don’t buy it.
Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Almost True Stories of Growing Up Scieszka – Jon Scieszka – So amusing. Makes me want six boys, almost.
Princess of the Midnight Ball – Jessica Day George – A nice retelling, although not quite at the “Beauty” level for me. Also, JSD was one of my father-in-law’s students which I think rocks.
The City of Ember – Jeanne Duprau – Oh my heavens, this book was so long.
The September Sisters – Jillian Cantor – Too dadgum depressing for me.
City of Bones – Cassandra Clare – Romance and snark. My two favorite things in a book.
City of Ashes – Cassandra Clare – Poor Simon. And yet, I was absolutely solidly Team Jace.
Sophomore Switch – Abby Mcdonald – I . . . did not like this book at all. The characters kept saying “totes” instead of “totally.”
The Forest of Hands and Teeth – Carrie Ryan
– our own life has never looked so good.
The Doll People – Ann M. Martin – Somehow I missed the fan wagon on this one. Fine, but not wonderful.
City of Glass – Cassandra Clare – A nice conclusion to a good trilogy. Also, I’m finding that the people who hate Edward/Jacob also hate Jace. Interesting.
Breathing – Cheryl Renee Herbsman – I had such high hopes for this book, but sadly, the main girl was just too whiny for me.
Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side – Beth Fantaskey – I had low hopes for this book, but it turned out to be quite good, even with the fairly stupid title.
Hattie Big Sky – Kirby Larson – I loved Hattie and every page of this book. Read it.
Teen Idol – Meg Cabot – This book was incredibly unmemorable. Somehow Meg Cabot, queen of YA, doesn’t quite do it for me.
Me, the Missing and the Dead – Jenny Valentine – I don’t know what to say about this book – it was an odd one.
Escape! The Story of the Great Houdini – Sid Fleischman – I still think about this book. And wonder how he did some of those tricks.
Wings – Aprilynne Pike – I dreamed I got asked to write the sequel. I was terrified.
Keturah and Lord Death – Martine Leavitt – This book stretched on forever. Also, I was really surprised by the ending, not in a good way.
Going Too Far – Jennifer Echols – Surprisingly good, but a lot of swearing.
The Dead and the Gone – Susan Beth Pfeffer – Chilling – I now live in fear of meteorites and dying in an elevator.
The Wednesday Wars – Gary D. Schmidt – Just go read this book. What in the world are you waiting for?
Unwind – Neal Shusterman – A very quick engaging read, although the end kind of fizzed out for me.
Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy – Gary D. Schmidt – Sad but also happy. I love Gary Schmidt.
Love You Hate You Miss You – Elizabeth Scott – Not my favorite Elizabeth Scott book. Bloom and Perfect You were better.
A Kiss in Time – Alex Flinn – Not one of my favorite retellings – both characters were sadly unlikable.
Switch – Carol Snow – Cool concept, but it didn’t quite fulfil its potential.
Catherine, Called Birdy – Karen Cushman – I know everyone adores this book, but it kind of dragged for me and I find Catherine quite unlikable.
Suite Scarlett – Maureen Johnson – I didn’t know what to expect from this book and it was even more not what I expected.
If I Stay – Gayle Forman – It is very fun to try and conceal your bawling in an airport terminal.
The Summoning – Kelley Armstrong – I thought this book would be scarier and less interesting. I was happily surprised.
A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table – Molly Wizenberg – Where is my cider cream sauce?
A Long Way From Chicago – Richard Peck – What a sweet book; the ending solidified this as a just darn good book.
A Year Down Yonder – Richard Peck – Even better than A Long Way From Chicago.
The Luxe – Anna Godbersen – This book was just fun.
Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow – Susan Campbell Bartoletti – Interesting in some parts, but a little slow in others
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society – Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows – I loved this book. No wonder it’s such a best seller.
A Season of Gifts – Richard Peck – I am totally on the Richard Peck bandwagon now.
Al Capone Shines My Shoes – Gennifer Choldenko – I liked this one better than the first book.
And if you’d like a printable copy of this list that you can take to your library or screenshot on your phone for easy access, just pop in your email address below and it’ll come right to your inbox!
Okay, but I really think you should listen to NPR just occasionally so that we can discuss important events together.
I am reading the The Wednesday Wars with Eric, and I'm reading A Long Way from Chicago per the suggestion of STM.
I'm quite enjoying both, and I find The Wednesday Wars just hilarious. I think Eric is only so-so on it. I'm hoping to finish it on our drive to Jackson Hole this weekend and that by the end he will adore it.
Funny, I read a couple of Elizabeth Scott books, liked Bloom okay, and didn't like Perfect You. I was a fan of Stealing Heaven, though.
I have several of these on hold already, and am looking forward to reading them.
And don't bother with the rest of the books of ember. The first one was by far the best.
Yep, you're really cool.
Skipping off to reserve a bunch of these…
Wow! That's a lot of reading. I'll have to go put some of those on reserve. By the way, do you have a copy of The Truth About Forever? I know you're a Sarah Dessen fan. I bought it at a library used book sale and am about half way through and know that it's not one I'm going to want to re-read. I was just going to take it to DI but thought I'd check here first!
Impressive list. Doesn't this mean you're about 85% done with your goal?
This also just reminded me that I left my library book at work last night. Dangit.
Wednesday Wars- waiting on my library to get a copy.
I have a couple more of these on my shelves too, but still have a huge stack of library books. I don't know why I think that the library won't have the same books later, but I want them all now now now!
I haven't read a single book on this entire list and I am slightly ashamed of that.
I totally agree with you on Meg Cabot. I have never gotten through a book of hers. So tedious.
Such an awesome list, I have alot of catching up to do!
You have very different feels about Guernsey Literary than I do! I'm glad my opinion didn't turn you off, at least. ha ha. Totally not my book. but goodness, it is NEVER available at work.
So glad you like Richard Peck's books. There was one – something with "Jessica" in the title – that I couldn't get into. When it surfaces, I'll try again.
I TOTES love your list!
You should read "Here Lies the Librarian" by Richard Peck. My mom got it for me when I was just starting library school. It is super cute. Now that I know his other books are good, I want to read them too!
No Shannon Hale? JSD is a good friend from Princeton Ward days. She's the only person I know who has met JK Rowling. And she has gorgeous red hair. And a maltese. And is married to "Mikey". And she knits. Pretty much a perfect combination of really great qualities. Thank heavens for us she left the adult genre and went for the YA market!
Okay, I am so with you on the "totes" thing. I haven't heard anyone say it in real life yet (and I of course, hang around a lot of cool people AND a lot of teenagers) so I think it's just a blogging/writer thing. Or am I wrong?
You inspire me to read more so thank you for that. And hello – where is your camp report! I cannot be the only one waiting for that! 12 days and counting for me…eek.
I just read my first Dessen book (This Lullaby) and loved it. Can't wait til my library gets Along for the Ride!