So most of my blogging time is spent on the work blog The Wild Rumpus but I came back here fully intending to post about my most recent YA reading. I just finished Madapple by Christina Meldrum and Bliss by Lauren Myracle. Of course I just spend a good chunk of time deleting spam from the comments and now this piece of crap computer I have seems to have slowed to a crawl. Argh. Anyway, since I finished Bliss I've been thinking about all the "possessed" teenage girl books I've read the past year and how in some ways possessed girls are the new "mad woman in the attic" of YA . Sort of just starting to ponder this. I don't really have any concrete thoughts as of now. If anyone has any thoughts on the topic, let me know.

So most of my blogging time is spent on the work blog The Wild Rumpus but I came back here fully intending to post about my most recent YA reading. I just finished Madapple by Christina Meldrum and Bliss by Lauren Myracle. Of course I just spend a good chunk of time deleting spam from the comments and now this piece of crap computer I have seems to have slowed to a crawl. Argh. Anyway, since I finished Bliss I've been thinking about all the "possessed" teenage girl books I've read the past year and how in some ways possessed girls are the new "mad woman in the attic" of YA . Sort of just starting to ponder this. I don't really have any concrete thoughts as of now. If anyone has any thoughts on the topic, let me know.

I'm watching Yom Kippur Services online since I'm off of work today and Josh didn't love the services we went to last year. I am actually really enjoying these. They remind me a lot of the temple I grew up going to. But wow, my grandparents would be so confused by this!

I'm watching Yom Kippur Services online since I'm off of work today and Josh didn't love the services we went to last year. I am actually really enjoying these. They remind me a lot of the temple I grew up going to. But wow, my grandparents would be so confused by this!

I've been spending most of my blogging time on my work blog, The Wild Rumpus. Plus, I'm picking up some more programs at work. But I am slowly making it through the pile of ARCs from ALA and I'll try to at least comment on them as I go.

I just finished Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri. One of our teen volunteers read it before me and she recommended it. I found it a bit hard to get into and slow in parts. Attractive cover, but not really as suspenseful or as funny as I was hoping. Oh well.

Now I am working on Capt. Hook by J.V.. Hart. It's not a new release but somehow I missed it when it came out. Well, I'm loving it so far. It's my lunch time reading so it's going a bit slowly but it feels more like I'm savoring it than plodding through.

Oh and in the car I'm listening to Dairy Queen. Another amazing book I seemed to have missed. I am almost done and I've already got The Off Season on CD checked out. And I have the ARC for the third book. So I'll be posting more about that when I'm done.

Wow, I better get reading now!

I've been spending most of my blogging time on my work blog, The Wild Rumpus. Plus, I'm picking up some more programs at work. But I am slowly making it through the pile of ARCs from ALA and I'll try to at least comment on them as I go. I just finished Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri. One of our teen volunteers read it before me and she recommended it. I found it a bit hard to get into and slow in parts. Attractive cover, but not really as suspenseful or as funny as I was hoping. Oh well. Now I am working on Capt. Hook by J.V.. Hart. It's not a new release but somehow I missed it when it came out. Well, I'm loving it so far. It's my lunch time reading so it's going a bit slowly but it feels more like I'm savoring it than plodding through. Oh and in the car I'm listening to Dairy Queen. Another amazing book I seemed to have missed. I am almost done and I've already got The Off Season on CD checked out. And I have the ARC for the third book. So I'll be posting more about that when I'm done. Wow, I better get reading now!

Our current toaster tends to burn things and the crumb tray is crap. It just drops crumbs all over the counter and attracts mice. So I'm looking into getting a new one. Since the one we currently have was a cheapy Target purchase, I'm contemplating splurging on a nicer toaster. I'm loving the design of this Bodum toaster but it is rather expensive.

Our current toaster tends to burn things and the crumb tray is crap. It just drops crumbs all over the counter and attracts mice. So I'm looking into getting a new one. Since the one we currently have was a cheapy Target purchase, I'm contemplating splurging on a nicer toaster. I'm loving the design of this Bodum toaster but it is rather expensive.

Another cool use for discarded books! At the library the teens will be making journals from the horrible fairy tale books I weeded last month. I want to make one and then I want this headboard.

Another cool use for discarded books! At the library the teens will be making journals from the horrible fairy tale books I weeded last month. I want to make one and then I want this headboard.

My favorite baby is in the hospital with a nasty virus that's keeping her dehydrated and in need of an IV. We visited her last night and in case you've never been to a children's hospital, let me assure you it is one of the saddest things around. Poor little munchkin, feel better!

My favorite baby is in the hospital with a nasty virus that's keeping her dehydrated and in need of an IV. We visited her last night and in case you've never been to a children's hospital, let me assure you it is one of the saddest things around. Poor little munchkin, feel better!

I forgot to mention that I figured out what caused those strange bruises. It was climbing in and out of the window that leads to our roof. We've put some tomatoes and herbs out there and you have to climb out the window in order to water them. Sadly, I am so wimpy that this causes me to bruise. How does one toughen up one's skin?

I forgot to mention that I figured out what caused those strange bruises. It was climbing in and out of the window that leads to our roof. We've put some tomatoes and herbs out there and you have to climb out the window in order to water them. Sadly, I am so wimpy that this causes me to bruise. How does one toughen up one's skin?

of the Coraline musical check out Elizabeth Bird's review. Yeah, pretty much what she said. I'm in total agreement about the actress that played Coraline. However I did wish that the Other Mother was a little more menacing and a little less campy and while I agree that for the most part the staging was done well, there were a couple of instances (like the final attempt to get back the key and get through the door) where I thought that I would have done things differently. (Ha, that just shows that I think I'm an expert on EVERYTHING!)

Oh and I have a better celebrity sighting. Though we had none at the theater, the next day we did see Tim Robbins on the street!

of the Coraline musical check out Elizabeth Bird's review. Yeah, pretty much what she said. I'm in total agreement about the actress that played Coraline. However I did wish that the Other Mother was a little more menacing and a little less campy and while I agree that for the most part the staging was done well, there were a couple of instances (like the final attempt to get back the key and get through the door) where I thought that I would have done things differently. (Ha, that just shows that I think I'm an expert on EVERYTHING!)Oh and I have a better celebrity sighting. Though we had none at the theater, the next day we did see Tim Robbins on the street!

I saw the Coraline musical in NYC this past weekend. I enjoyed it and thought it was a good mix of creepiness and humor. However, like the Coraline graphic novel and (though I haven't seen it, I imagine) the movie, it wasn't as amazing as I imagined it in my head. I've mentioned before that that's the problem with loving a book so much; no one else has the exact same vision as I do. Still I would highly recommend seeing it if you can. Just be aware, with some very interesting casting choices and music by Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields, it is not your typical musical theater!

Thanks for the link Erin. And thank you for this post Libba Bray. So eloquent it made me a bit teary reading it.

I saw the Coraline musical in NYC this past weekend. I enjoyed it and thought it was a good mix of creepiness and humor. However, like the Coraline graphic novel and (though I haven't seen it, I imagine) the movie, it wasn't as amazing as I imagined it in my head. I've mentioned before that that's the problem with loving a book so much; no one else has the exact same vision as I do. Still I would highly recommend seeing it if you can. Just be aware, with some very interesting casting choices and music by Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields, it is not your typical musical theater!

Thanks for the link Erin. And thank you for this post Libba Bray. So eloquent it made me a bit teary reading it.

Last night as I was getting ready for bed I looked down and found long purple bruises streaking down the back of my leg. I guess someone must be beating me in my sleep, I joked to Josh. But this morning there's more bruises and then there's the case of my mysteriously skinned elbow. So what's going on? I think it's the yoga I've started doing. No, I'm not doing yoga on a bed of nails either. I am simply the worlds biggest klutz. Seriously, I once cut myself on a piece of chocolate. So skinning my elbow while getting into downward dog, isn't really as odd as it sounds. I am tempted to use this as an excuse not to exercise, but I guess the elliptical machine can't really hurt me. Oh wait, I once got my foot stuck between the pedals of one of those things! Hmmmmm....

Last night as I was getting ready for bed I looked down and found long purple bruises streaking down the back of my leg. I guess someone must be beating me in my sleep, I joked to Josh. But this morning there's more bruises and then there's the case of my mysteriously skinned elbow. So what's going on? I think it's the yoga I've started doing. No, I'm not doing yoga on a bed of nails either. I am simply the worlds biggest klutz. Seriously, I once cut myself on a piece of chocolate. So skinning my elbow while getting into downward dog, isn't really as odd as it sounds. I am tempted to use this as an excuse not to exercise, but I guess the elliptical machine can't really hurt me. Oh wait, I once got my foot stuck between the pedals of one of those things! Hmmmmm....

I really, really, really wish I could see this!

I really, really, really wish I could see this!

I've been keeping busy at the library, working on a new blog for the youth services department: The Wild Rumpus. Check it out and please let me know if you have any suggestions or feedback.