Lose Yourself in the World of Books
I love a good fairy tale adaptation and when I first heard the true story of the Little Mermaid, I became a bit obsessed with all accurate adaptations. Synopsis Princess Margrethe has been hidden away while her kingdom is at war. One gloomy, windswept morning, as she stands in a convent garden overlooking the icy sea,… Continue reading Mermaid by Carolyn Turgeon
One of my GED students from Brazil recommended this book to me as the author is from her home country (though she read it in English) and she really enjoyed the premise. I agreed to read it in an effort to continue to encourage her to read in English, but I was not quite as… Continue reading Brida by Paulo Coelho
I’ll readily admit that Ella’s dark green dress on the front cover of the first paperback edition was what first caught my attention. But given my established record as a lover of fairy tale adaptations, it should come as no surprise that this is the book that started my obsession! Synopsis How can a fairy's… Continue reading Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Peter and the Starcatchers #1 I am a sucker for Peter Pan stories, especially ones that provide a more interesting and compelling female character than Wendy! Synopsis Peter was the leader of the orphan boys because he was the oldest – or so he claimed. And because he could spit the farthest. Not that it… Continue reading Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
Fairyland #1 I picked this book up upon the recommendation of a fellow educator at the school book fair last spring and I read it while on vacation last summer. While I’m trying to review only books that I’ve read most recently now, I figured it best to throw this one in as well. Synopsis… Continue reading The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
Graceling #1 For the past few weeks I’ve been debating picking up the book Bitterblue as I’d seen it all around the book stores. When I finally did decide to read it, I realized that it was a companion novel to Graceling, which was published first so I figured I’d give it a shot and… Continue reading Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, Clockwork Princess While an undergrad at Pitt, I was book browsing before seeing a movie with a friend, I saw Clockwork Angel sitting on the shelf at the Waterfront Barnes & Noble. Not knowing anything about the vast popularity of the Mortal Instruments series, I picked it up as I was… Continue reading Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare
While waiting for a flight to Ecuador, I realized I had not brought a book to get lost in when I would need to get away from the stress of traveling for a wedding. I figured the magical circus would be the perfect escape. Synopsis The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It… Continue reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Upside-Down Magic #1 One of my coworkers really enjoyed the Upside-Down Magic series and recommended, as a former teacher who worked with students with unique learning needs, I would appreciate it as well, and she was right! Synopsis It's never easy when your magic goes wonky. For Nory, this means that instead of being able to turn… Continue reading Upside-Down Magic by Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle & Emily Jenkins
Knowing of our shared love of Good Omens, Ben picked up a copy of The Ocean at the End of the Lane for me from the Strand one year for Christmas! Synopsis A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm… Continue reading The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Celebration of Books 