My bookshelf
– What I’m currently reading
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson, a Swedish writer. My best friend suggested I read it, so I am! Allan Karlsson is about to celebrate his 100th birthday in a nursing home when he decides to escape by climbing out his bedroom window. What happens next is quite an eventful journey. It turns out that Allan has lived quite a exciting life already, involving explosives and world travel… I’m really enjoying it so far.
– What I recently finished reading
– The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. Wow, what an amazing book! And the best part is, it’s inpired by the true story of a gorilla who lived in a cage inside a circus-theme mall in Washington State. I can’t imagine being locked up alone in a small cage for three decades, can you? Poor Ivan the gorilla never had a choice. This book made me smile and made me laugh. It made me cringe and made me cry. I now want to read it again with my kids, even though I know it will make me choke up and my kids will ask, What’s going on with your voice, Mama? Katherine Applegate gives a unique, believable voice to this gentle giant and every single character plays a crucial role. This is a deeply touching story I recommend everyone to read, younger or older. It will make you feel human again.
– The Lying Game #4: Hide and Seek by Sara Shepard. Reading The Lying Game series is still a guilty pleasure to me. These books are fast to read and the mystery is kept alive, even though suspects are eliminated one by one, so we’re still guessing who killed Sutton. I think I’ve got it figured out but won’t know until the last book. I like the new surprise character at the end of this book and I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
– What I think I’ll read next
Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks. I know from first hand experience that such romance NEVER happens in real life, and girls never get kissed like on this book cover. So I may as well get it from a book than not at all! ;-)
I loved reading The Notebook and the movie was great too. Alright, looking at Ryan Gosling for two hours helped a bit too! I hear this book is just as good so I want to find out for myself. I know this story has a twist so if you’ve read it, please don’t reveal any spoilers in your comment, thank you!
My kids’ bookshelf
– What they’re currently reading
Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet. We LOVE this book, which tells the story of brilliant inventor Tony Sarg, who started his career as a pupeeter and created the very first giant balloons of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. His upside-down puppets were inspired by the Goodyear blimps. The book has great illustrations and also contains more information about Tony Sarg, as well as newspaper clippings about his creations.
Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade
– What they recently finished reading
– Beep and Bah by James Burks. Bah the goat brings a lonely sock to Beep the robot, who is hungry for adventure. Both set off on a mission to find the missing sock, crossing plains, climbing mountains, even diving to the bottom of the sea. When they reach the end of the world, they still haven’t found the missing sock so they turn around. Hmm, I wonder where that sock is…
Beep and Bah by James Burks
This story reminds me of Minnie and Moo: The Case of the Missing Jelly Donut, when the jelly donut is stuck in Minnie’s butt during their whole search.
– Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, the author of the hilarious Those Darn Squirrels books (I still need to review these books…). The boy in this book describes the love dragons have for tacos, and the dangers of feeding them
anything with spicy salsa. Dragons love taco parties but you need to make sure there are no peppers in the salsa. Otherwise, this happens…
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
– What I think they’ll read next
I don’t know but I’m sure it will be good stuff. What about you? Any books you or your kids are reading you’d like to share?
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Perfecting Motherhood 
The gorilla book looks good. Is it a children’s book? I love the illustrations in those books your kids read this week. Colorful and neat lines.
It’s a young adult book but people of all ages should enjoy it. You should read it in a couple of hours (it’s 300 pages with some illustrations and plenty of white space). It will make it on my best of 2013 for sure.
Cool. I like YA books.
I do too and some of them are the best I’ve ever read. Come on, The Book Thief? Better than most books on WWII I’ve read, that’s for sure.
Agreed.
I’m reading The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown for a book club. Just started it, and it’s okay, but I’m getting worried because all the characters annoy me so far. That’s never good!
Nope, not a good sign when there’s not a single character you care about. I’ve never enjoyed the book when this happens.
Plus it’s written in first person plural. Everything is ‘we’ and as such, the characters’ viewpoint is collective. I find that a bit jarring. But the story is keeping my interest, at least.
Hmm, that’s a different narration tactic, quite risky.
Well, then. Ivan is gong on my to-buy list.
Great! And if you don’t like it, you can send it to me. ;-) But really, it’s the type of book you pass around to everyone you know. Kids and adults will love it.
I just finished Noon at Tiffany’s and enjoyed it:
There is something calming about books by Nicholas Sparks. :D
I’m not sure about calming, because it seems that one of the main characters always die! I didn’t read Nights in Rodanthe but I saw the movie and I needed a box of tissues at the end, just like The Notebook. What the heck?
Glad to see your children are keeping up with you.
I loved the Notebook. Okay, I like all of his books. :-)
I’m intrigued by Safe Haven and I would want to read the novel before I see the movie, just as I did with The Notebook.
I just read the 100 yr old man book. I really enjoyed it.
I am too. I have no idea where the story is going, and that makes it fun.
I’m reading The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet which came highly recommended.
Wow, that looks like a great book! I’m putting it in my to-read list right now. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve been wanting to read the 100 year old man one for a while so I’m glad you’re enjoying it! So true that there are no real-life kisses like that book cover! :) I might also have to read Safe Haven now…
I hope to review The 100-Year-Old Man next week. I bet you’ll like it. Safe Haven has a lot of great reviews so we’ll see…