If you want to know more about what I am reading, visit me at my Goodreads shelf. Images via Goodreads unless otherwise noted.
Gameworld is a fun middle grade novel about some children who end up inside a video game for real. It was full of action, but I never connected with the characters. I loved that it had diverse characters, but it was only okay - not a favorite. Mexican Whiteboy was fantastic. Matt de la Peña tore me up with this one. Danny is struggling with a lot of things - his relationships with his parents, his identity and his pitching too. This was a young adult story that felt real and true. I will be recommending this one a lot.
I zipped through the YA book More Happy Than Not a second time this week and reviewed it over at Rich in Color. I love, love, love, this book even though Silvera made me cry multiple times.
An Age of License: A Travelogue was a nice quick travel book in graphic novel format. It is probably one to classify as New Adult since it's about Lucy in her twenties. I have really liked Lucy Knisley's books. Relish is still my favorite. She has a nice mix of humor and serious contemplation. It has inspired me to look for a nice notebook or journal for my summer vacation. I want to be intentional about my journaling during my travels this time. That would be a first.
Flight of the Honey Bee and River Story were both sent to me by Candlewick. They are two very nice non-fiction picture books. The bee book is nicely done following a scout bee through a typical day. The River Story is beautiful and shares about rivers in simple flowing (couldn't help myself) text. Miffy at the Zoo is part of my effort to read some Dutch children's lit before I visit Amsterdam later this year. It was a cute little book.
Cooking from the Heart: The Hmong Kitchen in America is a fascinating cookbook. It shares more than just recipes. There is history tucked away in and around the recipes. There are also essays, poetry and some great pictures. I have tried a few of the recipes and they were yummy. I look forward to trying more of them in the future.
The Coming Week:
I'm listening to both Lockwood & Co. and Baseball in April. When I finish with those, I'll start listening to a young adult novel Love Edy. I've started The Zodiac Legacy and will likely finish that up this week. I'm also reading a guidebook for the traveling we'll be doing later this year. It almost feels like a research project, but a fun one. I have a pile of books sitting around, but I'm not sure which one will come next. Have a great week of reading!
Diversity on the Shelf/Diverse Books - 94/100
Goodreads - 190/520
#MustRead2015 - 28/53
Diversity Reading Challenge - 9/12
Around the World With Books 2015
I wanted to like Gameworld more than I did, but I did adore Lockwood and Co. You are in for a treat there, and the third book comes out soon!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Gaming book is Heir Apparent by Van de Velde - so funny. Lockwood and Co is not my usual type of book, but I am definitely enjoying it.
DeleteI have one coming up about people entering videogames - The Leveller. It must be a new thing for authors. Come see my reading week here. Have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteYes, there are a few "trapped in a videogame" books out there. It's a fun storyline.
DeleteThank you for your review of Gameworld - it looks intriguing but I can't find it any where. I was contemplating buying it, but I may hold off :)
ReplyDeleteIt's okay. I bought it secondhand.
DeleteI wonder if there's going to be a big trend in people entering video games. There was also Game On, Watson last year. I still haven't read any Matt de la Pena. I wonder if he'll be the next National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.
ReplyDeleteI have really been loving Matt de la Peña's books. I read his two ya thrillers (The Living and The Hunted) and his new picture book (Last Stop on Market Street), but now I want to grab his others too.
DeleteI've read about both the bumblebee and river books earlier today. They both sound good.
ReplyDeleteI keep seeing An Age of License showing up on people's #imwayr lists and I adore Lucy Knisley so this book is moving up my TBR pile!
ReplyDeleteIf Mexican White Boy wasn't already on my list of books to read, it sure would be now! More Happy than Not has been added and I am first in line when it arrives at our library (insert happy dance here.) I hope you enjoy The Screaming Staircase. I swear that if it is good, the next one, The Whispering Skull, is even better!
ReplyDeleteGameworld and Mexican White Boy are both books I NEED to read. I think Gameworld will be appreciated and liked by my students, and I need to read all of Matt de la Pena's work because he is brilliant!
ReplyDeleteMore Happy Than Not sounds amazing--putting it on my TBR!
I also have Bees and River to read :)
Happy reading this week!
With a review like that, how can I NOT read More Happy Than Not! I already had it on my TBR list (and applied for the GoodReads giveaway), but now I really have to get my hands on a copy of it! Thanks for such a positive review. It gives me a kick in the butt!
ReplyDeleteMy husband read Mexican White Boy and I will be reading it this summer. So impressed with Matt's titles. We Were Here is my favourite. It's incredible.
ReplyDelete