The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Suzanne Collins is one hot tamale!

She had no trouble keeping me turning the pages of The Hunger Games, the first in her dystopian trilogy. It's a frighteningly convincing post-apocalyptic world which televises an annual brutal fight to the death of one randomly selected boy and girls from each of twelve districts ruled over by a ruthless and decadent government called The Capital.

Fatherless si

xteen year old Katniss Everdeen isn't chosen, but her little sister is. That day irrevocably changes her and her family's life.

The pacing and plot of The Hunger Games are brilliant, but so is Ms. Colns ability to create characters that live and breathe. I suspect, that you, like me, won't be a

ble to put The Hunger Games down, and once

you are finished, you won't wait to read the sizzling second

installment, Catching Fire, where the whispers of a rebellion heat things up even more for Katniss, her family, and anyone else not wise enough to distance themselves from her during the lead up and the abrupt conclusion to the 75th anniversary of the Hunger Games.

Sadly, I hear we have to wait until August before the final book hits the shelves. I don't doubt though, that it will be worth the wait.

Intertwined by Gena Showalter

Harlequin has a new teen list. Not much out so far, but they'll be coming your way soon. I'm reading their first release which, not surprisingly, features both vampires and werewolves. If you're a romance fan, check out Intertwined by Gena Showalter.

a review of Graaceling coming

Ok, so I'm almost, but not quite finished Graceling by Kiristin Cashore. I thought I'd have some down time while at the Portland Jazz festival, but you'll be happy to know that I instead caught the Portland Jazz Youth Orchestra, and they were awesome. Also couldn't help spending a few hours at Powell's Bookstore, which was even more awesome. If you ever get to Portland, don't miss it. So, the gist is, no Graceling review yet, but I swear it's coming! Sheryl

Persopolis by Marjane Satrapi

It's been forever since I've blogged here, although I swear I am keeping up with my reading. Finished a most interesting graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi called Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. At first I found it a little flat for my taste, but after watching the film of the same title, chatting about it over coffee with my bookie friends, and rereading it, I've warmed up a little. It's a black and white graphic memoir set amidst the turbulence of Iran's overthrow of the Shah and the subsequent rise of the Islamic right and it's everyday implications. The point of view is innocent, that of a young girl, and yet layers of meaning lie behind the simple text. The daughter of Marxists parents and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran's last emperors, Marjane's childhood is unique and fastinating. I still find the illustrations flat, but now think that Satrapi's intention may have been to reflect the move from a rich free existence to a more two dimensional one once the Islamic Religion limited the choices of it's citizens to bring them in line with the extreme religious right that had come into power. Many of those restrictions, particular those aimed at women, squashed the most basic freedoms that we take for granted. Reading Satrapi's novel and watching the film would be a great into into a discussion on how art reflects life.

Books into movies

Good news. Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist is about to become a movie. Check it out, but don't forget to read the book which is awesome.

On an off topic note, I've come to the conclusion that the more I write about other peoples books, the less I work on my own so an extended writing jag is in order. Be sure to check out the archives, other favourite book blogs, and check back here for occasional lapses whereby I can't help but talk about what I'm reading. And now back to work.

Good News

A bit of good news arrived in the mail this morning. The Smell of Paint was included in The Canadian Children's Book Centre's 2008 Best Books for Kids & Teens.

on an adult mystery jag

I know I've been ignoring the blog lately so check out some past reviews while I continue with my adult mystery jag. Don't worry, I'll get back to kids books again soon. Sheryl