I've been doing a lot of reading for a selection committee I'm on--I'm not sure what the protocol is, or if I'm allowed to mention what the selections are for, so I won't. I will say that I've been severely disappointed with the books I've been assigned, and perhaps that's adding to my reading slump--I haven't really like much of anything that I've read lately.
Here are some of my recent reads (selection committee and personal), and quick recaps. I've linked all the titles to Goodreads if you want to find out more about them.
The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard: interesting concept but I think Sarah Ockler did a much better job with the secret relationship angle in
Twenty Boy Summer. I have
Try Not to Breathe and am hoping I enjoy that more.
The Knife that Killed Me by Anthony McGowan: ugh. So difficult to get through and (SPOILER) the title is a lie.
Room by Emma Donaghue: I actually really liked this one, but I was reading it because it was up for consideration on the high school summer reading list, and I definitely don't think it belongs there. It's a shame, because it's a powerful story, but I don't think it's really meant for the general high school audience.
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles: This was another contender for the high school list, but I also thought that my kids at juvenile detention would enjoy it. This is an excellent book to sell to juvie but again, not a good fit for the summer reading list, I don't think. It's a spicy novel, though, and I really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to reading the next two books (someday--I actually gave up my hold on Chain Reaction so that I could take it to juvenile detention next week.).
Hmm...it was actually quite enjoyable for me to create this post; perhaps I'll do it more often. My attention span seems kind of shot lately (probably due to my stress level), so this might be the best I can do for a while. Are short reviews better than no reviews at all?
Enjoy your reading!
Christi
