It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Aug. 25, 2014) ~ CookingFood.Org

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I really enjoyed my last week of summer vacation. My friend came to visit and we watched all of the sixth season of True Blood. Neither of us could really imagine how stressful it would have been to watch it when it was first shown on HBO. Every single episode ended with a cliffhanger! We also watched Divergent which makes me really want to read Insurgent and Allegiant which are waiting on my Kindle. The weather was mostly grey, foggy or rainy but we did manage to do some sightseeing on Wednesday afternoon. We climbed Enger Tower to get a good view of the city of Duluth, Lake Superior and the harbor. My calves were still sending protests every time I moved until Saturday. I think I did more flights of stairs in one afternoon than I had done all summer.

At the end of the week I was busy packing and loading the car. I came back home for the school year on Saturday. Since then, I have been busy unpacking although most of the books are still in bags. I have been getting organized for our week of workshops. Monday isn't so bad but Tuesday and Wednesday are twelve-hour days because of the Open Houses that kick off our school year. Officially, Thursday and Friday are days off but I know that most of us teachers will be there at least part of the time getting ready for classes to begin on Tuesday.

I'm excited to begin another year but a little apprehensive because I will be trying new things, i.e. Google Classroom with my fifth graders, and I don't yet have class lists or plans for the first week of school.

Read Last Week

Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios was the beginning of a new trilogy that takes place in contemporary America and jinnis. The main character is the last surviving member of the ruling class. There is also a sort of love triangle as she is torn between her master and the leader of the revolution that wanted to overthrow her caste. My review will be posted on October 1.

Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin was a middle grade story about an autistic girl and her dog. It is written in her voice and was a great story. My review will be posted on October 4.

The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare was my first Scholastic approval at NetGalley. This was a modern day family about a young boy who doesn't want to be a mage but who passes the tests despite his best efforts and learns that being a mage might be exactly who he needs to be. My review will be posted on Sept. 8.

Stray by Elissa Sussman was a fantasy set in a fairy tale world where only women have magic but are forced by society and culture not to use it and to feel that it is shameful. Aislynn is a young princess who wants to follow her society's rules but her failure to control her magic changes her future. My review will be posted on Oct. 9.

A Penny for the Hangman by Tom Savage was an excellent thriller. My review will be posted on Oct. 1.

Kiss Kill Vanish by Jessica Martinez was also great. It was part thriller, part romance, and part coming-of-age story. My review will be posted on Oct. 8.

Currently

I have just begun Even in Paradise by Chelsey Philpot. This is a contemporary YA ARC I got from Edelweiss. Thus far it is reminding me of The Great Gatsby.

Next Week

I am going to be concentrating on YA books this week while I wait for some highly anticipated adult books to show up in my mailbox or on my Kindle.