Two Months Later.....

Book #20: The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller I read this book early Fall, but I don't think I wrote it down on my blog yet. It was recommended to me at a reading conference, and I absolutely LOVE it. It reaffirmed what I do in my classroom and gave me some wonderful strategies as well. I have it on my kindle, but also have a hard copy as well because I loved it so much. (Fantastic strategies for 3rd-6th grade teachers.) 5 out of 5 stars.

Book #21, #22, and #23: The Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater (Shiver, Linger, and Forever). I read these books because they were free for me to read on my kindle. I finished a book and a half in a day. It's definitely a teeny-bopper book about werewolves. I got through half of the first one and didn't love it, but I had access to the other ones, and I was on vacation and needed some light reading. I wouldn't recommend it, unless you had time to kill and were really bored. =) 1 1/2 out of 5 stars.

#24: Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts. I read this a few months ago, and enjoyed it. The plot kept me interested and it was hard to put down. 4 out of 5 stars.

I'm sure there were others, but I can't recall them..... Drat, only at 24 and it's been 5 months....I have to pick it up!

Oh Drat! It's Been a Month!

Oh drat! It's been a month since I last updated this blog and I KNOW I've read books between now and then. Let's see....

Book #15 and #16: Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus The Lost Hero and The Son of Neptune. I loved Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, so I figured I wouldn't be disappointed with this one. These are fantastic books. They were hard to put down and I finished both in a few days. I love how he's incorporating Percy Jackson into this new series, but it's also introducing a whole new load of characters. And a VERY interesting view of Gaea, aka Mother Earth. =) 5 out of 5 for each.

Book #17, #18, #19: Nora Roberts The Sign of Seven Trilogy. These were a great easy read to take my eyes off of the TV screen, but didn't involve a lot of thinking. =) Very interesting super natural component, loved the characters. 5 out of 5 for each.

Hm.. I'm SURE I read other books, but I can't think of them. I HAS been a bit busy since work started and the house hunt picked up.....

#14: Table Manners

Book #14: Table Manners by Mia King. This book may LOOK like a romance book based on the cover, but it's not. =) This was written by the same author who wrote book #2, and I think my friend Carol sent it to me (is that right)? I finished this book in 3 days over Labor Day Weekend. It's about a woman who lives in Seattle who is trying to start up a baking company. It's an interesting read, very easy to get through (again, I SWEAR I read harder book, I just don't finish them as quickly as I do easy books!), and enjoyable. 4 out of 5 stars (Dawn, do you want me to send this book your way?)

Book #13: Summer Rental

Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews. I saw this book on a table in the airport and I thought it sounded interesting. I borrowed it from the Seattle Public Library and finished it in about a week. It was a nice, fun, light hearted read. I'd recommend it if you're looking for a easy read. 4 out of 5 stars.

Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell

Book #12: Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson.
This isn't a typical book that I would pick up from the bookstore or library. It's a book that was recommended by a friend that I met up with while in Hawaii. I checked it out from the public library, and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. This is the story about the sole survivor from Operation Redwing in Afghanistan and the lost heroes of SEAL Team 10. It's an amazing read, informative and emotional. 5 out or 5 stars.

Badass by Ben Thompson

Book #11: Badass by Ben Thompson.
Yes, you read right. BADASS. =) I read about this book in last month's Seattle Magazine (the author is a Seattle-lite), and thought it sounded interesting. Badass: A Relentless Onslaught of the Toughest Warlords, Vikings, Samurai, Pirates, Gunfighters, and Military Commanders to Ever Live. Sounds cool, huh? =) It's a riot. I can't read too much in one sitting, and I don't really recall what I read after a few hours, but when I read it, I'm thoroughly entertained. This is a book where 80% of it is true (the main points) with 20% hysterical add-ins. Here's an example.
Xenophon: "here they faced unrelenting attacks from the natives, who rolled gigantic Raiders of the Lost Ark-style boulders down on them and chucked arrows, spears, water balloons, and horrific insults down from the mountaintops." See? Isn't that great? Doesn't that make you want to read this book? I highly recommend checking it out from your public library. 4 out of 5 stars.

The CAFE Book (Educational)

Book #10: The CAFE Book by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser. I reread this book for a distance learning class I took this summer (I had read it the summer before, because it's the new literacy program we adopted). I am pleased to say that I am FINISHED with this class! This was good refresher of a great way to structure your students reading strategies. C = Comprehension, A = Accuracy, F = Fluency and E = Expanded Vocabulary. If you work at a school that give you the flexibility to teach literacy how you want to teach it, and you don't have to do your adopted curriculum with 100% fidelity, I highly recommend reading this! It was a very easy read, great examples and hints, and very practical. 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.