New Library Cards and May/June Suggestions

I was just dropping by to discuss May/June suggestions. I just renewed my Minuteman Library network card* and it's like a whole new world of book lending! Like, I requested A Curse Dark As Gold from the BPL in... oh... early March? Well- *mid* March. And it *still* hasn't been full processed- although at least it has been purchased, it seems. BUT I just ordered it in Minuteman, and I will probably have it before the week is out. Such is the power of well-funded Suburban libraries.

This, of course, makes it possible for me to borrow much more recently published books at a reasonable speed. Hence, I have a couple new, delicious looking books I can get my hands on that I would love (maybe) to read with the group- if you all are interested. They are girlie as all get out- but then, that seems appropriate for May and June somehow, doesn't it?

First, although I read it in galley form a couple of months ago, I would lovelovelove to re-read Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson, which was just recently officially released in bookstores. It's very fun and satisfying and has more weight and substance to it than most YA chick-litty books do- like, if Meg Cabot's oeuvre could be described as marshmallows, then Suite Scarlett would be like... a really good slice of New York Cheesecake. They're both bad for you, and you couldn't eat either all the time, but the cheesecake definitely has Character and when you finish it you feel like you cherished every bite and eaten something real, while with marshmallows you eat a whole bag without noticing and then feel ill afterwards. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am that Scarlett is the first in a series- she and her family and their ramshackle Art Deco hotel are right up my alley. In this particular book, Scarlett's family's hotel is faltering until a wealthy and eccentric widow descends upon the hotel, books their best suite for the whole summer, hires Scarlett as her personal secretary and begins meddling in all their lives, 1/2 Auntie Mame, 1/2 Margot Channing. It's deliriously good, and a blindingly quick read. I think it might be a better pick for June than May, because it only just came out, and I don't know how many of you would be able to get it through the library.

In a similar vein, but arguably with even more depth**, I'd love to read any of the following: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (which just came out, and I haven't read), Dramarama (which has been out for awhile but I haven't read) or The Boyfriend List (which I just read and adored) by E. Lockhart. The Boyfriend List and its sequel The Boy Book were both fun, smart reads that, nicely, don't tie things up too neatly or easily. They were, together, a messy and psychologically relatable portrait of a smart but emotionally confused 15 year old girl dealing with the fall out of her first serious relationship ending while the rest of her world comes apart around her ears-- on a normal 15 year old scale. By which I mean, she loses all her best friends and starts being the object of nasty rumors at school, not her mom dies and she develops a coke addiction and also is raped. These are white-upper-middle-class-girls-from-good-families "problems", not Problem Novel problems- which I think is refreshing, actually. It's nice to find a book that deals with issues I myself have dealt with, and doesn't either over-simplify them or make them unduly depressing.

Anyways, there are a couple suggestions- posted on the main page because;

a) I am hopelessly verbose
b) I wanted to give Amanda some main page company.


*which had been dormant so long they'd erased my fines! Yay!!
** but don't worry, I won't try for another tied-in desert simile here.

planning

any ideas for a may book to read? or a june book, for that matter?

has anyone read a curse dark as gold yet? i'm about 3/4 of the way through it, so hopefully i'll be able to post something soon.

National Day of Silence

Today is The National Day of Silence. In its 12th year now, this day is meant to bring attention to the name-calling, bullying, and harassment of LGBT(etc) high school students. This year's day is in honor of the memory of Lawrence King, the CA 15-year-old killed by a classmate who found out Lawrence had a crush on him.

Next up in my library pile are two books about gay characters, both by Alex Sanchez. What books with LGBT characters do you like? Are there any that you feel are overlooked? Since I mostly stick to realistic stuff, what about in fantasy--are there LGBT characters there? Any good blogs you read on LGBT books/issues? For blogs, I like I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the hell do I read? I also like Worth the Trip. Books I love include anything by David Levithan, Julie Anne Peters, and Ellen Wittlinger. There are so many great books out now with LGBT characters, which I think is fantastic and so important. Your turn now.

Movies

I'm anxiously awaiting the release of the film version of Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist. The novel, written by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, was fantastic (I think it was one that, after having moved from MA to MN, I begged Terri, the owner of The Children's Book Shop, to send me the galley because I just could not possibly wait). This got me thinking: what other books have made good movies (knowing that, of course, the book is generally better)? Or what YA books would you like to see made into a movie (and what stars would play your favorite characters)?

funny YA books

i've decided i need to read something funny soon (funny ha-ha, not funny strange). it takes a lot for me to laugh out loud when i'm reading a book. some adult authors who routinely deliver the funny, to me, are laurie notaro and david sedaris. but when it comes to YA books that really make me laugh, not much comes to mind. i can always rely on sue townsend, author of the adrian mole series for YAs and some adult books, to give me a good laugh (often in that cringing way). the first few louise rennison books usually guaranteed a good laugh (i still enjoy them, but they're getting ooooold). i guess i'm thinking about this because i just read elizabeth scott's perfect you. it was a fantastic read. kate, the main character, is acerbic and smart, and the dialogue is excellent. i laughed a few times while reading it, but wanted it to be more funny, less serious at times. so, can you think of anything you've read that was truly funny to you? i need a break from the seriousness!

another plug

as we all know, our dear fellow misfit, kristin, has a novel coming out soon. she also know has a new blog, This is My Secret. pop on over and check it out!

anyone else with new websites to promote?:)

Plug

Hi, all.

Forgive the obtuse nature of this entry, but I thought this would be THE place to promote the new store blog, www.curiousgeorgestore.blogspot.com .
There have only been a few posts, so far, and since we've yet to build an established/repeat audience, the entries sans comments seem a little more "newsletter"y than immediate, as a blog should be.
If you've read, want to read or refuse to read any of the books mentioned, please consider being one of the first to comment.

Thanks!

recommendations

it's not often i get to read a whole book in one sitting these days, but i just finished sara zarr's sweethearts. once i started it, i couldn't possibly set it aside to do anything else. i think it's one that will stay with me for a while.

waiting for me at the library, i have guyaholic by carolyn mackler and the disreputable history of frankie landau-banks by e. lockhart. i can't wait to read those!

do you have any great recommendations?

April's book

For those interested, the April pick is A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce.