Spring Reading Thing - Start Reading

Welcome to Spring Reading Thing 2013!  I am thrilled to be filling in for Katrina at Callapidder Days as host for this stress free reading challenge.

I hope you enjoy each of the books you have chosen, as well as checking out what others are reading.

Briefly here is what you need to do to be a part of Spring Reading Thing 2013:

• Make a list of books you want to read or finish reading this spring.  Feel free to modify the list as you go along if it isn't working for you.

• Write a blog post containing your list and submit it to this post using the Mr. Linky below.

• Check out other participants' lists and add to your own to-read-someday pile!

• You may begin reading on the 20th!  The challenge goes from March 20th to June 20th.

• Write a post about your challenge experience in June, telling us all about your experience and whether you reached our goals.  REMEMBER: this is a low-pressure, stressfree challenge that should be fun. As long as you do some reading this spring (and enjoy it!) that's good enough for me.

There is a Mr. Linky at the end of this post.  Please use it to link to your blog post containing your Spring Reading Thing list. Remember to link to your specific post, not just your general blog homepate. People will be stopping by for days or weeks!) and when you link to your specific post, it will make it easier for everyone to find your reading list. Also, if you don't mind, please link back here from your post so that your readers can come check out all the other participants.

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I will be giving away two prizes as part of Spring Reading Thing 2013:

1. A $20 gift certificate to Amazon.com
2. A $10 gift certificate to Amazon.com

To be eligible for these prizes, you must:

• Post your initial Spring Reading 2013 post (and enter it on the linky list on my blog) by midnight on March 24th

• AND post a wrap-up post on your blog at the end of the challenge (and enter it on the linky list I'll have up then) by midnight on June 24th

That's it. I'll randomly draw the winners shortly after the end of the challenge.

Note:  There is NO limit to when people can sign up to participate in Spring Reading Thing 2012. You're welcome to join in any time between now and June! The "deadlines" mentioned in the above prize section are only for prize eligibility.

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Link Up Below!

Spring Reading Thing 2013: My List

Spring Reading Thing 2013: My List

In past challenges I’ve had a list of 25 – 30 books.  This year is going to be different. This year I have extra duties at school.  Since I am one of two testing coordinators at the school, who also teaches six full classes, and since testing will be upon us in the next 3-4 weeks. I’ve got to keep my list simpler.

My goal is to finish the three  books I have been reading.  Yes, I always have more than one book going at a time.  I will be reading several children’s books and a few books for review.  If time allows I will add books as I get to them.  My plan is to have one day each week for sustained silent reading in my classroom.  This way my students and I can work on this challenge.  I also plan to use my weekends to read more.

April 29 – May 5 is Screen Free week and I am encouraging my students and others to turn off their TV’s and read.

Books to Finish:

The Musicians – Liam McAuley

The Hunt – Andrew Fukida

St. Viper’s School for Super Villains – Kim Donevan

New Books to Read:

Everville: The First Pillar – Roy Huff

A Time For Everthing – David Bond

At Drake’s Command – David Wesley Hill

Babel's First Light – Sherry Chamblee

Brain on Fire – Susannah Cahalan

Children of the Fog – Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Dead Man’s Hand – Eddie Jones

Beholding Bee – Kimberly Newton Fusco

Children’s Books:

Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob – Brooks Olbrys

Alphabet Anatomy – Linda Ann Jones

Candy and the Cankersaur - Jason Sandberg

Counting to Ten and Sharing My Easter Eggs - David Chuka

Circle and Square - Ms. Sally O. Lee

I've linked each book Amazon.  Please check out the other participant's lists.  Happy Reading.  You can find them at the original launch post.

Untimed - Andy Gavin Book Review and Giveaway

Publisher: Mascherato
Pages: 325
Source:  I received a review copy in exchange for my honest review
Genre:  Young Adult, Science Fiction

Book Summary:

Charlie’s the kind of boy that no one notices. Hell, even his own mother can’t remember his name. And girls? The invisible man gets more dates.

As if that weren’t enough, when a mysterious clockwork man tries to kill him in modern day Philadelphia, and they tumble through a hole into t1725 London, Charlie realizes even the laws of time don’t take him seriously.

Still, this isn’t all bad. In fact, there’s this girl, another time traveler, who not only remembers his name, but might even like him! Unfortunately, Yvaine carries more than her share of baggage: like a baby boy and at least two ex-boyfriends! One’s famous, the other’s murderous, and Charlie doesn’t know who is the bigger problem.

When one kills the other – and the other is nineteen year-old Ben Franklin – things get really crazy. Can their relationship survive? Can the future? Charlie and Yvaine are time travelers, they can fix this – theoretically – but the rules are complicated and the stakes are history as we know it. And there’s one more wrinkle: he can only travel into the past, and she can only travel into the future!

My Thoughts:

First I need to say that I am a real fan of time travel books.  I’ve not read one in a long time.  This was an awesome book with great characters.  You meet Charlie who is ignored by everyone but his aunt and father.  No one else seems to see him or remember his name.  One problem here is that he only sees his aunt and uncle a couple of times a year because they are also time travelers.  He sees a “tick-tock”and follows him into a hole that sends him into 1725 London.  This is where we meet the next major character, Yvaine.  She is a street smart girl with a baby.  She is also a time traveler.  She explains to Charlie that boys can only travel into the past and girls can only travel into the future.  Together, as they try to avoid being killed, they begin a relationship and learn the consequences of creating timequakes. 

I could tell you so much more but that would just spoil it for you.  What’s that you say?  You don’t understand what a “tick-tock” is and what a timequake is?  You’ll have to read the book to find out.  This book has something for everyone.  It is a combination of Science Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Adventure all rolled into one.

Warning! This book is definitely not for my middle school students.  I am glad I read it first.  There is violence, language and sexual content that make me say it would be best  suited for someone who is age 15/16 or above.  The illustrations are wonderful.  This is just the first book in the series.  It will be difficult to wait for the next one, but wait I will.

Want to Know more?  Here is a link to excerpts from the book

Author Bio:

Andy Gavin is a serial creative, polymath, novelist, entrepreneur, computer programmer, author, foodie, and video game creator. He co-founded video game developer Naughty Dog and co-created Crash bandicoot and Jak & Daxter. He started numerous companies, has been lead programmer on video games that have sold more than forty million copies, and has written two novels.

His first book, The Darkening Dream, has been well-received by fans and critics alike. Publisher’s Weekly called it “gorgeously creepy, strangely humorous, and sincerely terrifying.” Untimed is an even more ambitious follow-up. It is a lavish production with a cover by acclaimed fantasy artist Cliff Nielsen and twenty-one full  page interior illustrations by Dave Phillips.

So where else can you find Andy?

His Website                     Twitter

Facebook                         Pinterest

His Blog                          Wikipedia

Goodreads

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