Happy summer! Perhaps the best thing about the end of May is a move into summer reading. (Am I the only one who reads books seasonally?) The light stuff, the fluff, the summer-feeling books. What are the books you’ve put aside for your summer reading?

Trash (David Fickling Books): “In an unnamed Third World country, in the not-so-distant future, three “dumpsite boys” make a living picking through the mountains of garbage on the outskirts of a large city. One unlucky-lucky day, Raphael finds something very special and very mysterious. So mysterious that he decides to keep it, even when the city police offer a handsome reward for its return. That decision brings with it terrifying consequences, and soon the dumpsite boys must use all of their cunning and courage to stay ahead of their pursuers. It’s up to Raphael, Gardo, and Rat—boys who have no education, no parents, no homes, and no money—to solve the mystery and right a terrible wrong. Andy Mulligan has written a powerful story about unthinkable poverty—and the kind of hope and determination that can transcend it. With twists and turns, unrelenting action, and deep, raw emotion, Trash is a heart-pounding, breath-holding novel.”

Everything this says is true, and yet it doesn’t capture the half of what this novel is. Brilliant.

Enchanted Ivy (Margaret K. McElderry): “What Lily Carter wants most in the world is to attend Princeton University just like her grandfather. When she finally visits the campus, Grandpa surprises her: She has been selected to take the top-secret Legacy Test. Passing means automatic acceptance to Princeton. Sweet! Lily’s test is to find the Ivy Key. But what is she looking for? Where does she start? As she searches, Lily is joined by Tye, a cute college boy with orange and black hair who says he’s her guard. That’s weird. But things get seriously strange when a gargoyle talks to her. He tells her that there are two Princetons—the ordinary one and a magical one—and the Key opens the gate between them. But there are more secrets that surround Lily. Worse secrets. When Lily enters the magical Princeton, she uncovers old betrayals and new dangers, and a chance at her dream becomes a fight for her life. Soon Lily is caught in a power struggle between two worlds, with her family at its center. In a place where Knights slay monsters, boys are were-tigers, and dragons might be out for blood, Lily will need all of her ingenuity and courage—and a little magic—to unite the worlds and unlock the secrets of her past and her future.”

The problem with this one is that it gives away more than it should; it’s pretty much the whole book, even if it keeps one secret. That said, it does make the book sound quite compelling.

The Devil Went Down to Austin (Bantam): “Rick Riordan, triple-crown winner of the Edgar, Anthony, and Shamus Awards, brings his fast-talking, hard-living, Texas-hip P.I. Tres Navarre to the heart of the Lone Star State—Austin—to unravel a case so dark, twisted, and deadly, it can only involve family…. Tres Navarre, the P.I. with a Ph.D. in literature, heads to Austin for a laid-back summer teaching gig. But he’s in store for a whole lot more. His big brother Garrett–computer whiz, Jimmy Buffett fanatic, and all-around eccentric—is hoping to retire a multimillionaire by the fall. He’s bet his career and the Navarre family ranch to do it. Then Garrett’s oldest friend and business partner is murdered—and Garrett is the only suspect. As Tres delves into Garrett’s bizarre world to find the truth behind the murder, he comes face to face with the damaged relationships, violent lives, and billion-dollar schemes of a high-tech world gone haywire. Connecting them all is beautiful Lake Travis and the shocking secret that lies within its depths. Now, as Tres struggles with his own troubled family past and to clear his brother’s name, he finds himself stalked by a cold-blooded killer—one who could spell the death of both Navarres.”

Yes, the book is as good as the copy makes it sound.

Other books read this month:
I Now Pronounce You Someone Else
Mom: A Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorps
The Fairy Godmother
A Gift From Childhood
The Throne of Fire
Reckless (Audiobook)
Anastasia’s Secret
On Fortune’s Wheel
Our Only May Amelia
Okay for Now

I think I would be more likely to feel like April is gone if the weather would remind me that it’s spring. *sigh* Even so, I’m finding I’m reading more now that I’ve come out of my winter blahs. Except, now I want to be outside digging in the garden. Choices choices.

Violet in Bloom (Amulet Books): “Katie-Rose, Violet, Milla, and Yasaman—four girls with seemingly little in common but their flower names—are nurturing their new friendship and are busy building luvyabunches.com, their very own social-networking site. Their first flower-power task? A doomed campaign to get their school to serve healthier snacks. The Jelly-Yums they champion—soon dubbed “beans of grossness”—taste like candied beets. And that’s just the start of their troubles. A scheming classmate tries to drive a wedge between Katie-Rose and Yasaman, Violet may have been slammed in a secret journal, and poor Milla unintentionally commits hamstercide. It will take all the strength and genuine affection of these pals to weather a particularly stormy week of fifth grade. Bestselling author Lauren Myracle brings her understanding of the weight of fifth-grade dramas to another hilarious and memorable book that preteens will love!”
Everything a jacket flap should be: interesting, giving out plot points without giving away anything, and fun.

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Harper Perennial Modern Classics): “One of the most important works of twentieth-century American literature, Zora Neale Hurston’s beloved 1937 classic, Their Eyes Were Watching God, is an enduring Southern love story sparkling with wit, beauty, and heartfelt wisdom. Told in the captivating voice of a woman who refuses to live in sorrow, bitterness, fear, or foolish romantic dreams, it is the story of fair-skinned, fiercely independent Janie Crawford, and her evolving selfhood through three marriages and a life marked by poverty, trials, and purpose. A true literary wonder, Hurston’s masterwork remains as relevant and affecting today as when it was first published — perhaps the most widely read and highly regarded novel in the entire canon of African American literature.”

Classics are so hard to write a jacket flap for, but I think this one succeeds quite admirably.

Zita the Spacegirl (First Second): “Zita’s life took a cosmic left turn in the blink of an eye. When her best friend is abducted by an alien doomsday cult, Zita leaps to the rescue and finds herself a stranger on a strange planet. Humanoid chickens and neurotic robots are shocking enough as new experiences go, but Zita is even more surprised to find herself taking on the role of intergalactic hero. Before long, aliens in all shapes and sizes don’t even phase her. Neither do ancient prophecies, doomed planets, or even a friendly con man who takes a mysterious interest in Zita’s quest. Zita the Spacegirl is a fun, captivating tale of friendship and redemption from Flight veteran Ben Hatke. It also has more whimsical, eye-catching, Miyazaki-esque monsters than you can shake a stick at.”

I think every jacket flap needs to have the words “shake a stick at” in it. End of statement.

Other Books Read This Month
Falling In (audiobook)
Sweet 15
Exile
Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie
Olympians, the Graphic Novels
The Natural History of the Senses
The Last King of Texas
One Hundred Years of Solitude (DNF)
My Unfair Godmother

Another month down in my year of doing things slowly. I think I’m doing okay; I’m still reading a lot (and I still double- and triple-book sometimes), but I feel like I’m more comfortable with my reading pace. I still check out more books from the library than is good for me, especially considering the huge-for-me pile of books from publishers and authors I really should get through. Too many books, too little time!

On to my favorite jacket copy from this month:

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Harper Perennial Modern Classics): “The beloved American classic about a young girl’s coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness — in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience. “

Writing copy for classics is a tricky premise. But I think this one manages to capture both the essence of the book, as well as giving a nod to its timelessness.

How To Survive a Garden Gnome Attack (Ten Speed Press): “Move over zombies and adolescent vampires. There’s a new threat in town—and it’s only twelve inches tall. How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack is the only comprehensive survival guide that will help you prevent, prepare for, and ward off an imminent home invasion by the common garden gnome. Once thought of as harmless yard decorations, evidence is mounting that these smiling lawn statues are poised and ready to wreck havoc. The danger is real. And it’s here. Class 1 gnome-slayer and gnome defense expert Chuck Sambuchino has developed a proven system—Assess, Protect, Defend, Apply—for safeguarding property, possessions, and loved ones. Strategies include step-by-step instructions for gnome-proofing the average dwelling, recognizing and interpreting the signs of a gathering hoard, and—in the event that a secured perimeter is breached—confronting and combating the attackers at close range.”

This one had me at “adolescent vampires”. Seriously. I thought the book was funny, but the flap copy is hilarious.

Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword (Harry N. Abrams): “Spunky, strong-willed eleven-year-old Mirka Herschberg isn’t interested in knitting lessons from her stepmother, or how-to-find-a-husband advice from her sister, or you-better-not warnings from her brother. There’s only one thing she does want: to fight dragons! Granted, no dragons have been breathing fire around Hereville, the Orthodox Jewish community where Mirka lives, but that doesn’t stop the plucky girl from honing her skills. She fearlessly stands up to local bullies. She battles a very large, very menacing pig. And she boldly accepts a challenge from a mysterious witch, a challenge that could bring Mirka her heart’s desire: a dragon-slaying sword! All she has to do is find—and outwit—the giant troll who’s got it! A delightful mix of fantasy, adventure, cultural traditions, and preteen commotion, Hereville will captivate middle-school readers with its exciting visuals and entertaining new heroine.”

I’m not sure this was on my actual book (since I didn’t bother to write it down before returning it to the library). If it isn’t, it should be. Though I’m not quite sure about “exciting visuals.”

Other books read this month:
The House at Pooh Corner (audio)
Amulet: The Cloud Searchers
India Calling
Serenity: Those Left Behind; Better Days
Heat Wave
Hattie Big Sky (audio)
Naked Heat
The Scarlet Pimpernel
A Tale Dark and Grimm
Luv Ya Bunches
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (audio)

It’s the end of February, and much like the short, but dreary, month, we have a short but dreary jacket flap-a-thon. Nothing seemed to jump out at me this month, and though the following were adequate, they weren’t stellar.

Pay the Piper (Starscape): “A rock ‘n’ roll band to die for…. When fourteen year old Callie McCallan scores a backstage pass to interview the lead singer of the famous band Brass Rat, she’s thrilled. Peter Gringras is so cool. When he plays his flute, it’s as if he has some kind of hypnotic power. But there is something strange about him, something Callie can’t quite put her finger on. Then, on Halloween night, Callie’s little brother Nicky disappears, along with all the other children in town. It’s crazy, but Callie thinks she knows where the children have gone–and who took them. To prove it, and to rescue Nicky and the other children, Callie must journey to a mythical world filled with fantastical creatures. A world from which there may be no return….”

The writers did something amazing: made the book sound a lot more interesting than it really was. There’s something about those three little dots…

Daughter of the Forest (Tor Books): “Lovely Sorcha is the seventh child and only daughter of Lord Colum of Sevenwaters. Bereft of a mother, she is comforted by her six brothers who love and protect her. Sorcha is the light in their lives, they are determined that she know only contentment. But Sorcha’s joy is shattered when her father is bewitched by his new wife, an evil enchantress who binds her brothers with a terrible spell, a spell which only Sorcha can lift-by staying silent. If she speaks before she completes the quest set to her by the Fair Folk and their queen, the Lady of the Forest, she will lose her brothers forever. When Sorcha is kidnapped by the enemies of Sevenwaters and taken to a foreign land, she is torn between the desire to save her beloved brothers, and a love that comes only once. Sorcha despairs at ever being able to complete her task, but the magic of the Fair Folk knows no boundaries, and love is the strongest magic of them all…”

Good; it gives you the basic plot, enough to know it’s a fairy tale adaptation, without coming out and saying so. And yet, doesn’t give you so much that you’ve basically got the whole plot, which leaves you wondering why read the book.

The Disappearing Spoon (Little, Brown and Company): “The Periodic Table is one of man’s crowning scientific achievements. But it’s also a treasure trove of stories of passion, adventure, betrayal, and obsession. The infectious tales and astounding details in THE DISAPPEARING SPOON follow carbon, neon, silicon, and gold as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, war, the arts, poison, and the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. We learn that Marie Curie used to provoke jealousy in colleagues’ wives when she’d invite them into closets to see her glow-in-the-dark experiments. And that Lewis and Clark swallowed mercury capsules across the country and their campsites are still detectable by the poison in the ground. Why did Gandhi hate iodine? Why did the Japanese kill Godzilla with missiles made of cadmium? And why did tellurium lead to the most bizarre gold rush in history? From the Big Bang to the end of time, it’s all in THE DISAPPEARING SPOON.”

This is the best of the lot. It says “Look, fascinating science facts, but written in such a way that’s not for just science geeks.” Total win.

Other books read:
Guys Read: Funny Business
The Magician’s Elephant
The Lincolns
I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You
The True Meaning of Smekday
In a Heartbeat
King of Bollywood

As I look back at the end of January, I realize I have managed to keep one resolution: my reading is so slow there’s really only three jacket flaps to choose from! Sure, there were (five) other books, but these are the ones that stood out.

The White Queen (Touchstone): “Philippa Gregory, “the queen of royal fiction” (USA Today) Presents the first of a new series set amid the deadly feuds of England known as the Wars of the Roses. Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women, starting with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen. The White Queen tells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores this most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills. With The White Queen, Philippa Gregory brings the artistry and intellect of a master writer and storyteller to a new era in history and begins what is sure to be another bestselling classic series from this beloved author.”

Forge (Atheneum): “In this compelling sequel to Chains, a National Book Award Finalist and winner of the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson shifts perspective from Isabel to Curzon and brings to the page the tale of what it takes for runaway slaves to forge their own paths in a world of obstacles—and in the midst of the American Revolution. The Patriot Army was shaped and strengthened by the desperate circumstances of the Valley Forge winter. This is where Curzon the boy becomes Curzon the young man. In addition to the hardships of soldiering, he lives with the fear of discovery, for he is an escaped slave passing for free. And then there is Isabel, who is also at Valley Forge—against her will. She and Curzon have to sort out the tangled threads of their friendship while figuring out what stands between the two of them and true freedom.”

Keeper (Atheneum): “To ten-year-old Keeper, this moon is her chance to fix all that has gone wrong…and so much has gone wrong. But she knows who can make things right again: Meggie Marie, her mermaid mother who swam away when Keeper was just three. A blue moon calls the mermaids to gather at the sandbar, and that’s exactly where she is headed — in a small boat, in the middle of the night, with only her dog, BD (Best Dog), and a seagull named Captain. When the riptide pulls at the boat, tugging her away from the shore and deep into the rough waters of the Gulf of Mexico, panic sets in, and the fairy tales that lured her out there go tumbling into the waves. Maybe the blue moon isn’t magic and maybe the sandbar won’t sparkle with mermaids and maybe — Oh, no…”Maybe” is just too difficult to bear. Kathi Appelt follows up to her New York Times bestseller, The Underneath, with a tale that will pull right at your very core — stronger than moon currents — capturing the crash and echo of the waves and the dark magic of the ocean.”

Other books read this month:
Sapphique
Guests of the Sheik
Behemoth
Same Kind of Different as Me
Street Magic
Pegasus (DNF)

As the first round of the Cybils is coming to a close, I’m eagerly anticipating the release of the shortlists. (Ours is very interesting, to say the least.) As a teaser, I’m doing an all-Cybils edition of the Jacket Flap-a-thon this month. (That, and it’s pretty much all I read!)

Mockingbird (Philomel): “In Caitlin’s world, everything is black or white. Things are good or bad. Anything in between is confusing. That’s the stuff Caitlin’s older brother, Devon, has always explained. But now Devon’s dead and Dad is no help at all. Caitlin wants to get over it, but as an eleven-year-old girl with Asperger’s, she doesn’t know how. When she reads the definition of closure, she realizes that is what she needs. In her search for it, Caitlin discovers that not everything is black and white–the world is full of colors–messy and beautiful. Kathryn Erskine has written a must-read gem, one of the most moving novels of the year.”

It’s simple, direct, and intriguing, doing everything a jacket flap should do: it makes you want to read the book.

Wildfire Run (HarperCollins): “The president’s retreat, Camp David, is one of the safest places in the United States. So why can’t the President’s son, Luke, and his friends Theo and Callie stay there without Secret Service agents constantly hovering over them, watching their every move? And yet, when an earthquake sets off a raging wildfire, causing a chain reaction that wreaks havoc at Camp David, they are suddenly on their own. Now Luke needs a plan:

Penny Dreadful (Random House): “What if you were really bored with your life? What would you wish for? Penelope Grey wishes for something—anything!—interesting to happen, and here’s what she gets:

• Her father quits his job.
• Her family runs out of money.
• Her home becomes a pit of despair.

So Penelope makes another wish, and this time the Greys inherit a ramshackle old house in the middle of nowhere. Off they go, leaving the city and their problems behind them. Their new home is full of artists, tiny lions, unusual feasts, and true friends. Almost immediately, their lives are transformed. Penelope’s mother finds an unexpected job, her father discovers a hidden talent, and Penelope changes her name! Penny’s new life feels too magical to be real, too real to be magic. And it may be too good to last . . . unless she can find a way to make magic work just one more time—if it even was magic. Any Which Wall author Laurel Snyder introduces a quirky cast of characters as pleasantly strange as they are deeply real. Abigail Halpin adds to the charm with her distinctive line drawings. Fans of Polly Horvath’s My One Hundred Adventures, Ingrid Law’s Savvy, and Jeanne Birdsall’s The Penderwicks will be enchanted by Laurel Snyder’s alternatively humorous and poignant look at small-town life and what it really takes to become a happy family.”
I promise that I really didn’t copy the flap copy when I mentioned The Penderwicks in my review. Still, it’s spot-on, in its book comparisons, and while I think it gives away more than it should (and makes it sound more magical than it is), it’s still very good copy.

Other Books Read This Month:
Crunch
Tortilla Sun
Betti on the High Wire
Moon Over Manifest
The Importance of Being Earnest
Joey Fly, Private Eye in Big Hairy Drama
Jellaby
Enola Holmes: The Case of the Gypsy Goodbye
The Ring of Solomon
Because of Mr. Terupt
Emily’s Fortune
Happy Birthday, Sophie Hartley
When Molly Was a Harvey Girl
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Round Things

Ah, nearly the end of the year; sometimes I’m amazed at how fast time flies. I’m treating you to a non-Cybils rendition of the Jacket Flap-a-thon, out of the five non-Cybils books I read this month, here are the best three:

I Shall Wear Midnight (HarperCollins): “It starts with whispers. Then someone picks up a stone. Finally, the fires begin. When people turn on witches, the innocents suffer. . . . Tiffany Aching has spent years studying with senior witches, and now she is on her own. As the witch of the Chalk, she performs the bits of witchcraft that aren’t sparkly, aren’t fun, don’t involve any kind of wand, and that people seldom ever hear about: She does the unglamorous work of caring for the needy. But someone—or something—is igniting fear, inculcating dark thoughts and angry murmurs against witches. Aided by her tiny blue allies, the Wee Free Men, Tiffany must find the source of this unrest and defeat the evil at its root—before it takes her life. Because if Tiffany falls, the whole Chalk falls with her. Chilling drama combines with laugh out-loud humor and searing insight as beloved and bestselling author Terry Pratchett tells the high-stakes story of a young witch who stands in the gap between good and evil.”
Maybe I’m biased because I love these books, but I love that the flap copy gives you a brief overview of the series and a hint of this book without giving much away at all.

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk (Little, Brown and Company):
“If animals were more like us,
if mice kept pets and toads could cuss,
if dogs had wives and chipmunks dated,
sheep sat still and meditated,
then in the forest, field, and dairy
you might find this bestiary,
read by storks, by rats and kitties,
skimmed by cows with milk-stained titties.
“I found the book to be most droll,”
might quip the bear, the owl, the mole.
Others, though, would be more coarse.

“Bull,” could say the pig and horse.
As to the scribe, they’d quote the hen,
“Trust me, he’s no La Fontaine.”

Absolutely pointless as flap copy. Seriously. But it’s SO much fun, and horribly clever, which makes it perfect for this book.

Starcrossed (Arthur A. Levine Books): “In a glamorous castle full of Llyvraneth’s elite, Celyn Contrare serves as a lady-in-waiting to shy young Merista Nemair. Her days are spent dressing in velvet, attending Lady Merista, navigating court gossip, and charming noblemen over lavish feasts. And at night, she picks locks, steals jewels, forges documents, and collects secrets. Because Celyn isn’t really a lady-in-waiting; she’s not even really Celyn Contrare. She’s Digger, a sneak-thief on the run from the king’s Inquisition, desperate to escape its cruel instruments and hatred of magic. If she’s discovered, it will mean her certain death. But life as a lady-in-waiting isn’t safe either. The devious Lord Daul knows her secret, and he’s blackmailing her to serve as his personal spy in the castle. What she discovers-about Daul, about the Nemair, even about her own Lady Merista — could signal civil war in Llyvraneth. And for a thief trained never to get involved, taking sides could be the most dangerous job yet.”

It doesn’t give the plot twists and turns away, and yet manages to be intriguing. What is going on in this book? I want to know.

Other books read this month:
Clementine, Friend of the Week
The Kneebone Boy
Linger
Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool
Bamboo People
Zora and Me
What Happened on Fox Street
The Lost Hero
How I, Nicky Flynn Got a Life and a Dog
Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze
Shooting Kabul
Out of My Mind
Belly Up
The Reinvention of Moxie Roosevelt

Running total: 163 books
Adult fiction: 24
YA: 58
MG: 56
Non-fiction: 15
Graphic Novel: 10
Didn’t Finish: 7

Happy Halloween!! And, on top of that, it’s the end of another month, and time for another wrap up… there wasn’t much that jumped out and grabbed me, but here’s a few that caught my attention.

Howl’s Moving Castle (Greenwillow Books): “In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. The Witch of the Waste was another matter. After fifty years of quiet, it was rumored that the Witch was about to terrorize the country again. So when a moving black castle, blowing dark smoke from its four thin turrets, appeared on the horizon, everyone thought it was the Witch. The castle, however, belonged to Wizard Howl, who, it was said, liked to suck the souls of young girls. The Hatter sisters–Sophie, Lettie, and Martha–and all the other girls were warned not to venture into the streets alone. But that was only the beginning. In this giant jigsaw puzzle of a fantasy, people and things are never quite what they seem. Destinies are intertwined, identities exchanged, lovers confused. The Witch has placed a spell on Howl. Does the clue to breaking it lie in a famous poem? And what will happen to Sophie Hatter when she enters Howl’s castle? Diana Wynne Jones’s entrancing fantasy is filled with surprises at every turn, but when the final stormy duel between the Witch and the Wizard is finished, all the pieces fall magically into place.”

It gives away more than I would like, but it makes the story seem so… fun. Which it is.

Geektastic (Little, Brown Books): “Acclaimed authors Holly Black (Ironside)and Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof) have united in geekdom to edit short stories from some of the best selling and most promising geeks in young adult literature: M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, John Green, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr. With illustrated interstitials from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O’Malley, Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction, theater geeks, and cosplayers. Whether you’re a former, current, or future geek, or if you just want to get in touch with your inner geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on!”

No, I didn’t really like the book overall, but this jacket flap copy did its job: it made me want to read the book.

Happyface (Little, Brown and Company): “Just put on a happy face! Enter Happyface’s journal and get a peek into the life of a shy, artistic boy who decides to reinvent himself as a happy-go-lucky guy after he moves to a new town. See the world through his hilariously self-deprecating eyes as he learns to shed his comic-book-loving, computer-game playing ways. Join him as he makes new friends, tries to hide from his past, and ultimately learns to face the world with a genuine smile. With a fresh and funny combination of text and fully integrated art, Happyface is an original storytelling experience.”

Ugh. Seriously. Ugh. It makes the book sound cloyingly sweet, but it’s the furthest thing from it. It’s a dark book, and it doesn’t have a happily-ever-after ending. Someone didn’t really read the book.

One Crazy Summer (Amistad): “Eleven-year-old Delphine has it together. Even though her mother, Cecile, abandoned her and her younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, seven years ago. Even though her father and Big Ma will send them from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to stay with Cecile for the summer. And even though Delphine will have to take care of her sisters, as usual, and learn the truth about the missing pieces of the past. When the girls arrive in Oakland in the summer of 1968, Cecile wants nothing to do with them. She makes them eat Chinese takeout dinners, forbids them to enter her kitchen, and never explains the strange visitors with Afros and black berets who knock on her door. Rather than spend time with them, Cecile sends Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern to a summer camp sponsored by a revolutionary group, the Black Panthers, where the girls get a radical new education. Set during one of the most tumultuous years in recent American history, one crazy summer is the heartbreaking, funny tale of three girls in search of the mother who abandoned them—an unforgettable story told by a distinguished author of books for children and teens, Rita Williams-Garcia.”

It isn’t the best copy ever, but it did make me curious about the book. That and the cover is *so* cute.

Other books read this month:
Girl in Translation
Dream factory
Bogbrush the Barbarian
The Graveyard Book (audio)
Extraordinary
Countdown
The Fool’s Girl
Marcelo in the Real World
Crossed Wires
Touch Blue
The Red Umbrella
Rocky Road

Running total: 146 books
Adult fiction: 23
YA: 54
MG: 44
Non-fiction: 15
Graphic Novel: 10
Didn’t Finish: 7

It’s the end of September, already? Can someone please tell me where this year has gone?? Next thing I know, I’ll have to sit down and do my best-of-the-year post. I’m not sure I’m ready for that yet…

Though how could I forget the Cybils nominations open at midnight, Eastern Time, tonight (so for you West Coast people, you don’t have to stay up late…)? Click through the link to read the guidelines.

And here’s the best from this month:

Shiver (Scholastic): “For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf — her wolf — is a chilling presence she can’t seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It’s her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human — or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.”

I liked how this one pairs the spare, winter feel of the book, but gives you a hint of the intensity of the love story.

Scumble (Dial Books):”Nine years after Mibs’s “Savvy” journey, her cousin Ledge has just turned thirteen . . . But Ledger Kale’s savvy is a total dud — all he does is make little things fall apart. So his parents decide it’s safe to head to Wyoming, where it’s soon revealed that Ledge’s savvy is much more powerful than anyone thought. Worse, his savvy disaster has an outside witness: Sarah Jane Cabot, reporter wannabe and daughter of the local banker. Just like that, Ledge’s beloved normal life is over. Now he has to keep Sarah from turning family secrets into headlines, stop her father from foreclosing on Uncle Autry’s ranch, and scumble his savvy into control so that, someday, he can go home. Starring a cast both fresh and familiar, “Scumble” brilliantly melds Ingrid Law’s signature heart and humor with the legendary Wild West.”

I just liked this one. It feels fun, whimsical, but grounded. Kind of like the book.

Mare’s War (Knopf): “Meet Mare, a grandmother with flair and a fascinating past. Octavia and Tali are dreading the road trip their parents are forcing them to take with their grandmother over the summer. After all, Mare isn’t your typical grandmother. She drives a red sports car, wears stiletto shoes, flippy wigs, and push-up bras, and insists that she’s too young to be called Grandma. But somewhere on the road, Octavia and Tali discover there’s more to Mare than what you see. She was once a willful teenager who escaped her less-than-perfect life in the deep South and lied about her age to join the African American battalion of the Women’s Army Corps during World War II. Told in alternating chapters, half of which follow Mare through her experiences as a WAC member and half of which follow Mare and her granddaughters on the road in the present day, this novel introduces a larger-than-life character who will stay with readers long after they finish reading.”

The best flap copy, I think, is one that explains the book, but doesn’t give anything (or at least much) away. This is a perfect example of that.

Other Books Read This Month:
Green
Dance With Them
The Red Pyramid
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (DNF)
The Youngest Templar: Trail of Fate
Ugly as Sin
Cracked Up to Be
Nine Parts of Desire
The Summer of Moonlight Secrets
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

Running total: 131 books
Adult fiction: 22
YA: 47
MG: 37
Non-fiction: 15
Graphic Novel: 10
Didn’t Finish: 7

It was the month of the questions. I’m not sure if it’s a trend — there has always been flap copy that asked a question of the readers. It just seemed that this month (especially in MG and YA books), I got it a bit more than usual. Which begs the question (sorry): what do you think about flap copy that asks a question? Does it work to draw you into the book?

I tend to find myself wanting to answer the questions…

Sisters Red (Little, Brown): “Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris–the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She’s determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead. Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls’ bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett’s only friend–but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they’ve worked for?”

Possibly, but you’re going to feel very very guilty about it all.

The Last Best Days of Summer (Farrar, Straus and Giroux): “For twelve-year-old Lucy Crandall, the last week of August is the most perfect time in the world. It’s the week she gets to spend with Grams at the lake house, canoeing, baking cookies, and glazing pots in Grams’s potting shed. Grams has a way of making Lucy feel centered, like one of the pots on her kick wheel—perfect, steady, and completely at peace. But this summer, Grams doesn’t seem to be exactly the person she once was. And as the week turns into a roller coaster of surprises—some good, some awful—Lucy can’t help but wonder: Will things ever be centered again?”

No. Never. You’ll just have to live your life off balance.

The Demon’s Covenant (Margaret K. McElderry): “Mae Crawford’s always thought of herself as in control, but in the last few weeks her life has changed. Her younger brother, Jamie, suddenly has magical powers, and she’s even more unsettled when she realizes that Gerald, the new leader of the Obsidian Circle, is trying to persuade Jamie to join the magicians. Even worse… Jamie hasn’t told Mae a thing about any of it. Mae turns to brothers Nick and Alan to help her rescue Jamie, but they are in danger from Gerald themselves because he wants to steal Nick’s powers. Will Mae be able to find a way to save everyone she cares about from the power-hungry magician’s carefully laid trap?”

I sure hope so. Because Mae rocks.

Al Capone Shines My Shoes (Dial): “Moose and the cons are about to get a lot closer in this much-anticipated sequel. It’s 1935. Moose Flanagan lives on Alcatraz with his family, the other families of the guards, and a few hundred no-name hit men, con men, mad dog murderers and a handful of bank robbers too. And one of those cons has just done him a big favor.You see, Moose has never met Al Capone, but a few weeks ago Moose wrote a letter to him asking him to use his influence to get his sister, Natalie, into a school she desperately needs in San Francisco. After Natalie got accepted, a note appeared in Moose’s freshly laundered shirt that said: Done. As this book begins, Moose discovers a new note. This one says: Your turn. Is it really from Capone? What does it mean? Moose can’t risk anything that might get his dad fired. But how can he ignore Al Capone?”

You can’t. Al Capone SEES ALL.

How to Survive Middle School (Delacorte Books for Young People):”Eleven-year-old David Greenberg dreams of becoming a TV superstar like his idol, Jon Stewart. But in real life, David is just another kid terrified of starting his first year at Harman Middle School. With a wacky sense of humor and hilarious Top 6½ Lists, David spends his free time making Talk Time videos, which he posts on YouTube. But before he can get famous, he has to figure out a way to deal with:

6. Middle school (much scarier than it sounds!)
5. His best friend gone girl-crazy
4. A runaway mom who has no phone!
3. The threat of a swirlie on his birthday
2. A terrifying cousin
1. His # 1 fan, Bubbe (his Jewish grandmother)
1/2. Did we mention Hammy, the hamster who’s determined to break David’s heart?

When David and his best friend have a fight, David is lucky enough to make a pretty cool new friend, Sophie–who just (gulp) happens to be a girl. Sophie thinks David’s videos are hilarious, and she starts sending out the links to everyone she knows. Sophie’s friends tell their friends, and before David knows it, thousands of people are viewing his videos–including some of the last people he would have expected. David may still feel like a real-life schmo, but is he ready to become an Internet superstar?”

Sure. Why not? John Green did it.

Other books read this month:
The Waiter Rant
The Girl in Hyacinth Blue
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
No and Me
The Cardturner
A Mango Shaped Space
Under the Tuscan Sun
Mockingjay
Nurture Shock

Running total: 119 books
Adult fiction: 22
YA: 44
MG: 32
Non-fiction: 11
Graphic Novel: 10
Didn’t Finish: 6