Vacation, Reading and The Name of The Star by Maureen Johnson

It's a Saturday in early March in Arizona, sitting on Mom's back patio enjoying the sunshine. It has been a wonderful trip--Grandma got to take the girl's shopping, we all hit a wildlife park and got an African-style safari and today we are chillin' in the sunshine. We may hit a spring training baseball game, but we may not. This is the fun of vacation.

I have had a chance to finish two books while here and loved them both. Mom joked that she hasn't ever seen a book that I didn't like--but I have read many books that I don't like. I am a much more critical reader than I used to be, and I have realized I am a character-driven reader: if a character is well developed, I love the book. I think this is true for most readers.

On the plane and the first day we were here I finished "The Name of The Star" by Maureen Johnson. This was the perfect vacation read--if I were on my way to a beach, I would pack this book. Johnson does a good job of setting the scene and telling the story of Aurora or Rory, a Louisiana girl at a London boarding school for the first time who suddenly realizes she can see the dead. She is called into service when the Jack the Ripper murders are being re-created around her school, and it's up to her and The Shades, a band of sanctioned ghost police, to stop the killings. The story has the creepy factor, but its told with humor and feeling.

"Maybe that's what bravery is. You forget you're in trouble when you see someone else in danger. Or maybe there is a limit to how afraid you can get, and I'd hit it."

"The Name of The Star""  was set up for sequels, and I was happy to find out that book two, The Madness Underneath, is available. I like this set up--London is a city that has been built and rebuilt so many times that it has layers of 'ghosts'--and Rory can help the Shades in London for awhile. After that there is the possibility that she return to Louisiana and/or New Orleans, a city with its own history of ghosts.

Get The Name of The Star for Kindle from Amazon

This is a fun read and is highly enjoyable.  It's not high literature, but it's not suppose to be. The story won't make you think too hard, but it will whisk you away from your day-to-day for a few hours.

Getting ready for vacation, The Wool Serials by Hugh Howey and Kindle Singles

Today is the day before a short visit to Grandma's (my mom) house in Arizona. Time off from work, time to reconnect with Mom and let the girls play outside. Oranges to be picked and made into orange juice (this is a project done with Daddy and Grandpa), real Mexican food to be devoured, sunshine to be soaked in (although the grandparents will tell me that it isn't that warm for Arizona, it will still be a lot warmer than Ohio in February). Hopefully this will provide me with a lot of reading time. There are many books I need to get through (and by need I mean NEED--the pull of the book on my soul) including The Name of The Star by Maureen Johnson and Wonder by R.J. Palacio. Wonder is a book for younger readers that my almost 10-year old wants to read, and I have heard from many that it is one that I need to read as well.

So today is the day before vacation. Swimming is over for a couple of months, lacrosse hasn't started (this are my older child's activities of choice), dance recital isn't until June (this is my younger daughter's activity of choice). Summer camps have been chosen (for the most part), summer activities have been partially planned, and spring activities have not yet begun. This is our down time, and I love it!

Instead of a review today, I'm going to talk about some great book-related, Kindle-related items you should be discovering and reading!

First off, The Wool series on Kindle--an awesome and intelligent look at a Dystopian society. If you have a Kindle, get reading. The first five chapters (the Wool books) are available in one read and are inexpensive ($5.99) and are so worth it. Wool Omnibus for Kindle at Amazon. The second part is three installments called Shift. The third installment was released a couple of weeks ago, so the Shift series is also available in one read for $5.99. Shift Omnibus for Kindle at Amazon. And the third and final part, Dust, will be out soon. If you can, sit down and read Wool and Shift together. I don't want to attempt a real review until the whole series is finished. 

"And so a life was lived accidental. It was lived because he wasn’t brave enough to do anything else." Third Shift, Hugh Howey.

Another fun thing available for Kindle are Kindle Singles. Singles are basically short stories that are usually inexpensive and brief. There are a number of bestselling authors who have found there way to Kindle Singles. Stephen King has written a number of them, and has collaborated with some known and unknown (at least to me) authors for some of them. Nelson DeMille (a favorite of mine) has used this format to tell an early John Corey story as well as a couple others.  Lee Child, David Baldacci, Richard Russo, Karen Slaughter, Chuck Palahniuk, Michael Connelly--the list goes on and on. There are many new writers finding this genre as well. Kindle Singles are awesome if you don't have time for a full book or if you just want a quick, inexpensive read. Most I have read are incredibly well written.

These are my deep-thoughts for today. Enjoy your Tuesday and find time to read!!!