I'll have to look up So Cold the River and I LOVE Relic ... so much better than the movie.
I had no idea it was a movie, and saw it at random while using my guide the other day...watched about 10 minutes, and then turned off the TV! It didn't seem very true to the book -- she was using the extrapolator at the point I saw, but that was about it...
Bitter in the Mouth, Troung
Linda Hammerick has a special yet burdensome gift--she experiences words as tastes. Linda's boyfriends' names, for example, remind her of orange sherbet and parsnips; her own name is mint-flavored. Depending on the speaker, listening, for Linda, can be delicious or distasteful. In the first part of the book, Linda interacts with her family: she dances with her eccentric uncle Baby Harper, whose sing-song voice limits her "tasting his words"; she faced off with her acerbic grandmother, Iris; deals with her adored father, Thomas, and her unsympathetic mother, Deanne, whose infatuation with a neighborhood boy leaves Linda vulnerable to his predatory advances. Woven into Linda's story is the history of her home state, North Carolina--slaveholding days, the first airplane flight, and local Indian lore. But when a sudden tragedy brings Linda back home from New York City, she finds answers to a life that has been made up of half-finished sentences, as the secret of her origins and the clandestine histories of those around her are revealed one by one.
Outwardly a book about a young woman with synesthesia, a condition which creates a taste in her mouth when certain words are said, there is much more about her growing and experiencing family life. A bit hard to read, but excellent.
Tighter by Adele Griffin
That's probably my last post for a while--I'll be offline for a few weeks. See you all on the August thread.
Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong
http://www.kelleyarmstrong.com/dime-store-magic/
Like the other Kelley Armstrong’s books I’ve read, this one is also a guilty pleasure. If you want something that is both suspenseful and entertaining, her books are a perfect read. I enjoy them but can’t read these types of books all the time. All the violence makes me feel bad.
Have a great summer Cathe!
Mockingbird, Erskine
Unique, emotionally touching book about a young girl with Asperger's syndrome. Her brother, her link to the world, who was helping her interpret social cues and learn behavior strategies, is killed in a school shooting. The narrator's voice is remarkable, and the book is an honest portrayal of her and her community.
Oh, boy, it sounds compelling, but so sad.
I have been reviewing the books that I have read this year on a blog. I started it to participate in another blog that is a read 52 books in a year challenge. I figured I probably read more than that in a year but had never counted them before. So far, I am at #68. The book that I just finished reading is The Faith Club, about 3 moms - a Muslim, a Chrisitan, and a Jew, trying to learn about one another's religions. I thought it was great! Here is my blog w/ all of the books that I have read so far this year - http://becauseisaidsothathswhy.blogspot.com/
Welcome! 
These both sound good, and the ghost story kofduke read as well -- Sadly, I just re-filled my library holds account!
87. The Midnight Tunnel by Angie Frazier
88. Mind in the Making: The 7 Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs by Ellen Galinsky
89. The Death Instinct by Jed Rubenfeld
90. How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown
How was "How I Killed Pluto"? The kids and I have been listening to the Stink and Judy Moody books, and there is one about Pluto being demoted from Planet status. It's pretty good (and the narrator is the woman who does Bart Simpson's voice, so it's entertaining!).
That's probably my last post for a while--I'll be offline for a few weeks. See you all on the August thread.
Have a great summer! Hope you are doing something fun!
I have a couple more books to post, but need to catch up on work stuff. I was off part of last week getting ready for a huge yard sale. Then it poured down rain until 11am on the day of the sale. Oh well. We made a little bit of money and are on a roll clearing out the clutter. More clutter clearing coming soon! I'm reading some fun ones right now--Bossypants, The Known World, The Girl Who Played With Fire, Griftopia and with the kids, On The Shores of Plum Creek and The Strictest School in the World. I love summer reading!
I really liked it -- the author is funny -- as you can see from the title -- and does an excellent job of mixing the entire Pluto controversy with what was happening in his personal life at the time. I felt like I learned a lot more about the world of astronomy and how it works and have a better handle on what exactly was involved with the Pluto decision.
91. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
92.Flip by Martyn Bedford
93.Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
94.The September Society by Charles Finch
43) A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin. This is the second book in "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. I am thoroughly addicted to these characters and this story! I will take a break to read something for my book club, but I will be digging into the third book soon! Again, for fantasy lovers and fiction lovers alike, I cannot recommend these books enough!
The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth
In a smart, entertaining, reassuring book that reads like fiction, Alexandra Robbins manages to cross Gossip Girl with Freaks and Geeks and explain the fascinating psychology and science behind popularity and outcasthood. She reveals that the things that set students apart in high school are the things that help them stand out later in life. Robbins follows seven real people grappling with the uncertainties of high school social life
Entertaining yet informative book regarding high school popularity, and why those who are "unpopular" in high school are often better adjusted as adults.
Doc, Mary Doria Russell
The Doc Holliday of legend is a gambler and gunman who appears out of nowhere in 1881, arriving in Tombstone with a bad reputation and a hooker named Big Nose Kate. But I have written the story of Alice Holliday's son: a scared, sick, lonely boy, born for the life of a minor aristocrat in a world that ceased to exist at the end of the Civil War, trying to stay alive on the rawest edge of the American frontier.
I picked this up because of how much I enjoyed The Sparrow, and I'm so glad I did. The book follows the life of Doc Holliday from his early years until basically the time he leaves for Tombstone (it doesn't talk about the shooting at Tombstone itself). Holliday and Earp are both portrayed as such interesting characters, and Russell's writing is gorgeous as always.
43) A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin. This is the second book in "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. I am thoroughly addicted to these characters and this story! I will take a break to read something for my book club, but I will be digging into the third book soon! Again, for fantasy lovers and fiction lovers alike, I cannot recommend these books enough!
I'm about a third of the way through Game of Thrones and loving it.
I checked out the How I Killed Pluto book and have started reading it - it is very good! I read a bunch of books in the last couple of weeks - reviews are in my blog - http://becauseisaidsothathswhy.blogspot.com/
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother was interesting, and so was The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating. I loved Rashi's Daughters book 1 Joheved and am sad that our library does not have the other two. I was not overly impressed with Slaughter-House-Five and I Am Legend. Room: A Novel is interesting and well written, but creepy topic. And I liked Troubletwisters - young adult type fiction for 4th through 8th grade age. I also read the Yggyssey by Daniel Pinkwater.
Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/tanya-huff/enchantment-emporium.htm
While I did enjoy it, I am somewhat let down by this book. There were some aspects of it I really, really liked, but other things bothered me a lot.
What I liked was the overall quirkiness of the story, the eccentric and likeable characters, and the fact that there is much less violence than there usually is in what is now categorized as Urban Fantasy. Only one characters dies, a very evil one, and even the description of his death is not graphic. The same goes for the sex, and there is a lot of it in the book, but it's insinuated rather than described in detail. At the same time all the insinuation in this book is what made me enjoy it less. So many things are only suggested and not described at all, for example the leading character is from a large matriarchal family of witches, but the word “witch” is never actually used. It is suggested they can draw charms, do spells, only good ones, but there is little explanation in regards to their magic. For me to get into a fantasy story it is necessary to have some kind of explanation, but there is none in this book. Another thing that is suggested is that the young ones in the family get together at rituals and have sex until the women “chose “ the one they want to marry. What I found a bit creepy was that the sex that takes place is between cousins. I often found the writing to be confusing. There are too many characters. I felt like I was reading the second or third book of a series where it is already assumed you know about the universe in which the story takes place.
Nevertheless I probably will still read the second book in this series when it comes out.
Oh, and a word of warning, all the women in this novel are constantly baking pies and I found myself craving pie the entire time I read it, just like I craved cinnamon rolls after reading Robin McKinney’s “Sunshine”.
I am a big fan of Richard Matheson, but I will be the first to admit that a lot of his stories (Legend included) have not aged all that well.
I really liked it -- the author is funny -- as you can see from the title -- and does an excellent job of mixing the entire Pluto controversy with what was happening in his personal life at the time. I felt like I learned a lot more about the world of astronomy and how it works and have a better handle on what exactly was involved with the Pluto decision.
91. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
92.Flip by Martyn Bedford
93.Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
94.The September Society by Charles Finch
Hmmm, sounds good! I think I'll add it to my list 
The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth
Entertaining yet informative book regarding high school popularity, and why those who are "unpopular" in high school are often better adjusted as adults.
Doc, Mary Doria Russell
I picked this up because of how much I enjoyed The Sparrow, and I'm so glad I did. The book follows the life of Doc Holliday from his early years until basically the time he leaves for Tombstone (it doesn't talk about the shooting at Tombstone itself). Holliday and Earp are both portrayed as such interesting characters, and Russell's writing is gorgeous as always.
I LOVE Mary Doria Russell. This one's already on my list. I'm super intrigued by that time period.
I checked out the How I Killed Pluto book and have started reading it - it is very good! I read a bunch of books in the last couple of weeks - reviews are in my blog - http://becauseisaidsothathswhy.blogspot.com/
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother was interesting, and so was The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating. I loved Rashi's Daughters book 1 Joheved and am sad that our library does not have the other two. I was not overly impressed with Slaughter-House-Five and I Am Legend. Room: A Novel is interesting and well written, but creepy topic. And I liked Troubletwisters - young adult type fiction for 4th through 8th grade age. I also read the Yggyssey by Daniel Pinkwater.
I'll be honest, I didn't really like Slaughter House Five either. I felt like I should b/c Kurt Vonnegut you know? But I didn't. I liked I Am Legend though. Can't wait to read Room. Seems like everyone has read it!
I'm slogging through The Known World by Edward Jones. He has an interesting, non-linear, storytelling style, and while I can appreciate that, I feel like it's taking a long time to get anywhere. Plus, I really wanna read The Girl Who Played With Fire, which is just sitting there beckoning from my nightstand.
22 Brittania Road, Hodgkinson
In her powerful debut, Hodgkinson takes on the tale of a family desperately trying to put itself back together after WWII. Silvana and Janusz have only been married a few months when the war forces them apart. Silvana and their infant son, Aurek, leave Poland and disappear into the forests of Eastern Europe, where they bear witness to German atrocities. Meanwhile Janusz, the sole survivor of his slaughtered military unit, flees to France. There, he takes up with a local girl and, though he loves her, awaits the war's end so that he can go in search of his wife and son. He eventually finds them in a refugee camp and they travel to England together, where they attempt to put the past behind them. But the secrets they carry pull at the threads of their fragile peace. Hodgkinson alternates viewpoints to relay the story of three desperate characters, skillfully toggling between the war and its aftermath with wonderfully descriptive prose that pulls the reader into a sweeping tale of survival and redemption.
Moving and well-written story of survival during war-time, and what is required to forgive and move forward.
A Discovery of Witches, Harkness
It all begins with a lost manuscript, a reluctant witch, and 1,500-year-old vampire. Dr. Diana Bishop has a really good reason for refusing to do magic: she is a direct descendant of the first woman executed in the Salem Witch Trials, and her parents cautioned her be discreet about her talents before they were murdered, presumably for having "too much power." So it is purely by accident that Diana unlocks an enchanted long-lost manuscript (a book that all manner of supernatural creatures believe to hold the story of all origins and the secret of immortality) at the Bodleian Library at Oxford, and finds herself in a race to prevent an interspecies war. A sparkling debut written by a historian and self-proclaimed oenophile, A Discovery of Witches is heady mix of history and magic, mythology and love (cue the aforementioned vampire!), making for a luxurious, intoxicating, one-sitting read.
I found this interesting and enjoyable...a lot of reviewers seem to be relating it to Twilight, which I haven't read.
I recently read Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson - here is my review - http://becauseisaidsothathswhy.blogspot.com/2011/07/before-i-go-to-sleep-novel-by-s-j.html and I could not put it down! I highly recommend this book!
http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1323937/august-2011-book-challenge#post_16582920
Is it really August? Holy mackerel!
95.Troubletwisters by Garth Nix and Sean Williams
96.One of Our Thursdays Is Missing by Jasper Fforde
97. The Memory Bank by Carolyn Coman and Rob Shepperson
98.Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World through Islamic Eyes by Tamim Ansary
Follow Mothering