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After something of a dry spell in October, I have reverted to my normal state of maniacal reading.


A THOUSAND DAYS IN VENICE, by Marlena de Blasi. Adult memoir. Improbable romance: an Italian stranger asks an American woman to marry him, almost on sight, so she up and leaves St. Louis to go live in Venice.


THE GIRL OF HIS DREAMS, by Donna Leon. Adult mystery. Guido Brunetti at it again. A little disappointing this one, because the villain comes out of nowhere.


WHAT I SAW AND HOW I LIED, by Judy Blundell. YA, this year's National Book Award winner! Terrific depiction of setting (Florida post WWII) and wonderful characterization--every person in the story believable. If you like noir films...


THE 39 CLUES, by Rick Riordan. MG action/adventure. Siblings Dan and Amy race other teams in a hunt for clues per their beloved grandmother's will. The Amazing Race/Survivor meet The Westing Game/Benedict Society? Game cards and a website go with the book.


YOUNG CORNROWS CALLING OUT THE MOON, by Ruth Forman, illustrated by Cbabi Bayoc. Picture book. I heard the author read this text at the ALA Poetry Blast in Anaheim and was *blown away* by the vividness of the imagery--vivid but still gentle somehow--and her mesmerizing voice. The illustrations are interesting...'fun' rather than 'lyrical', not what I expected after hearing the text read. But I can't wait to read more by this author!


THE LAST ENEMY, by Grace Brophy. Adult mystery. A new series (yay!) with only two books so far (boo...). Commissario Alessandro Cenni in Assisi and Perugia, investigating the death of an American.




IMPOSSIBLE, by Nancy Werlin. YA. A contemporary fairy tale and faery tale. Lucy tries to break a generations-strong curse. WOW, what a read!


THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. Upper MG/YA, dystopic. Survivor meets Gladiator? I found this book ingenious and utterly compelling, but at the same time, I was bothered by the violence: People die in this story as easily and thoughtlessly as they do in video games or action movies. Twenty of them, only one of whom is developed to the point where the reader cares about them (bad grammar to avoid spoiler). I did a quick perusal of other reviews and nobody else seems disturbed by this in the same way...so I guess it's one of those 'just me' thangs. Maybe this is the point? that a book can function like a video game, and that readers can respond likewise? I'm a dinosaur--I still have different expectations when I read than when I play video games (which I do, on occasion) or watch movies, but perhaps young readers these days respond differently?


FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES, by Donna Leon. Adult mystery. Guido Brunetti again. Liked this one better than GIRL (above), because at least you get a hint of the villain early on, but s/he still makes an entrance pretty late in the game. It's gotta be tough, plotting mysteries...I know, but I still feel a little cheated when I can't guess along with Brunetti.




TAMAR, by Mal Peet. YA. Parallel stories: the Dutch resistance fighters during WWII, and the granddaughter of one of them forty years later. The war story: passion, intrigue, and betrayal; the granddaughter's story, mystery and first love. Sound good? You betcha. Another WOW.


Favorite reads this month: IMPOSSIBLE and TAMAR.

I ought to write up a report on my visit to Mildred Strang Middle School in Yorktown Heights, which was terrific, and NCTE, fabulous, and Thanksgiving, also fabulous. A few of many highlights: all the sixth-graders I met at Strang; Rene Saldana, Terry Trueman, Margo Rabb, Ruth Forman, Susan Patron, tasting menu at Le Reve, Nancy Werlin, Betsy Partridge, Tanya Stone, Clarion's dinner at Biga on the Banks with professor Alexa Sandman, margaritas at Acenar, the NCTE Notables session; cornbread-sausage-jalapeno stuffing, pecan-chocolate chip pie, great gravy. :-)

Hope you all had a good holiday weekend! And by the way, Happy Birthday to my mom!