Generation Dead, because if it's not about Vampires than it's about Zombies

First off, I love Zombies.  I can't wait until they start popping up out of the graves.  We've got guns and a good water supply, so the Hubs and I are all set.  It's sad that I am more prepared for a zombie invasion than a real emergency situation.

For me Generation Dead by Daniel Waters is a bit Zombie light. But it's an intriguing book.  The cover alone is reason enough to give the book a try.  The zombies in question are all American teenagers, and only some teenagers that die come back to life, or non-life.  The main character is Phoebe who is (caution, shocker coming up!) a goth girl.  Because in recent years most YA books feature either rich, brand name wearing Upper East Sider girls or goth girls or both.  Phoebe gets a bit of a crush on a dead boy who goes to her school  Her best friends, another goth girl who is icked out by zombies and a hot football player harboring a secret crush of Phoebe, are of course surprised.

The zombies in Waters's world are as different as any human, some have barely functioning speech and motor skills, while others could almost pass for living.  Zombies have no real recognized rights in the story, and it shows the struggle of minorities through out the ages.  Some of the impressions, the rumors, the gossip about zombies are similar ones used against different races in the past.  That is where this book shines.

It's not a perfect story, the narrative gets a bit clunky at time.  But it's got teenaged zombies, which rocks.  It's also the first in a series, and I love a series.  I liked Generation Dead enough to read the second book, Generation Dead: Kiss of Life.  I'm interested to see where this series is going.

Generation Dead gets a Midnight Book Rating of 10:45pm, it may not be perfect, but it's a good book to have on a long, cold, dark night. Happy reading, zombie lovers!

Last post of 2009!  Adios, '09.  Welcome, 2010- you'd better be sweeter to me than 2009 was!

The Historian- Getting my Edumacation!

I listened to, rather than read, The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and I have to say that I loved it. I liked it even though it made me learn stuff, because even though the book is about Dracula, it's also crammed with historical facts.  Due to my bum being rather lazy in October and then taking part in NaNoWriMo in November, I'm way behind on my reviews.  I listened to this book during cold October drives in my car. It was the perfect story for the Halloween season.

The audio cd featured many different actors speaking the different characters (including my girl Joanne Whalley Kilmer- although she may have dropped the Kilmer part of her name as she used to be married to Val Kilmer but they're now divorced.  They were in Willow together and then she played Scarlett in the mini series follow up to Gone With The Wind.) I thought that would be distracting, but it turned out to be amazing.  Everyone that read, in my opinion, did a great job of bringing the suspense of the book to life. 

Word of warning though, the audio cd is abridged.  I'm hoping that it's only abridged in small ways (in order to help the dialogue flow) but as I haven't read the book yet I don't know.  I didn't notice it was abridged, and I probably wouldn't have bought it if I had caught that detail in the beginning because I am not an abridged girl.  I recently found out that The Count of Monte Cristo is actually a super long book, and the version I read all those years ago was abridged.  I hate abridgments, it feels like I'm being a lazy reader.  That said, with The audio version of The Historian  there's a reason I didn't catch the abridged part until much later- because it wasn't at all obvious.  So I'm glad I listened to it, and I was always planning on reading the book but I am holding off purchase until I get my Kindle.  And Kindle, you will be mine!

So if you like vampires, the old fashion Dracula kind, and a really good mystery, then I recommend The Historian.  Giving the audio cd a Midnight Book Rating of 11:45pm, and despite the fact I haven't yet read the book, I'm giving the unabridged book of The Historian a Midnight Book Rating of Midnight.

I'm hoping to post at least one more blog before the New Year, but in case I don't get to it (because of the aforementioned lazy bumness)- Happy New Years, Blogger World!!!

I Heart Heart-Shaped Box!

Just a quick review from my backed up review list, then back to Christmas wrapping and trying to find a place outside that is snow free enough for my spoiled chiweenine to do her business.

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill kind of rocked.  For those of you not in the know, Hill is the son of author God Stephen King (I love you SK!).  Although his genre might be in the same vein as his pop, Hill is a great author in his own right. 

Why should you read Heart-Shaped Box?  Well, it's an old fashioned ghost story with great characters and two awesome dogs that would make Dean Koontz green with envy.  The main character is Jude Coyne, aging hard rocker (think Rob Zombie without the movie making, or Ozzie Osbourne with normal speaking abilities).  Jude collects the macabre and ends up buying a ghost online.  And just like that song "The Cat Came Back", Jude finds that once you own a ghost they aren't that simple to get rid of, and this particular ghost has an axe to grind with our doomed MC.  Did I mention the awesome dogs? 

I give this book a full Midnight rating, this book will keep you up all night, quaking beneath your sheets as you flip through the pages, your flashlight's beam shaking in your terrified hands... In other words if RL Stine's Goosebump series is too intense for you, then Heart-Shaped Box might be something you should skip.

In case I don't get to say this on Christmas- Merry Christmas Blogging World!  I am looking forward to wonderful New Year full of book blogging, more reading, and more writing.  And world peace, which I asked for again this year, but it's a bit like asking Santa for a pony when I live in the city and have no horse caring skills or budget.  A midnight book girl can still dream! 

Shadow On The Dial

I read this book a million years ago when I was mostly just a 10pmBookGirl.  I remember loving it, so I actually bought it just to re-read for October's readathon.  Seemed like a good idea at the time...

Shadow On The Dial by Anne Lindbergh

The book hasn't aged so well, but I still love the idea behind the book.  Dawn and Marcus are forced to spend a summer with Great Uncle Doo in his crappy Florida apartment while their parents go on a good vacation.  Dawn is a bit of an idiot, and Marcus is supposed to be smart for his age although I'm not buying that.  Just because you state that it doesn't make it true.  Somehow the kids get involved with a Time Traveling bald dude and end up going back in time to help Uncle Doo find happiness- which involves playing a flute.  No, I am not making this up.  Hi-jinks ensue.  The dynamic duo have to keep going back in time (and also in the future) to fix the mistakes they continuously make.  But in doing so they find happiness for their uncle and realize they have a lot of work ahead of them to change the dismal outlook of their own future.  Plus Marcus and Dawn learn to get along!

Would I recommend this book to you, faithful reader?  Probably not.  For me it has sentimental value, and I'd probably enjoy sharing it with my younger nieces and nephews.

Midnight Book Rating: 7pm- read it before the good shows come on... or the mediocre shows (read at 6pm if you're not on the East Coast).


***I will be traveling back to Oklahoma starting this evening.  My father in law passed away unexpectedly.  He will be greatly missed.***

I Wish I Had An Uncle Montague!

Yes, faithful readers, it's been a long time since I blogged about an actual book I read.  Last month was fail for me in the reading books category, but writing was a win.  Luckily for me as I was too lazy to blog about the books I read in October I now have a back catalog of reviews to get through.  So without further ado I present my take on Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror by Chris Priestley.

I'll make this short and sweet.  I liked this book, it reminded me a lot of Ed Gorey's Alphabet.  It was creepy without being to terrifying (it is a book geared to the younger crowd).  I read this during the Readathon and it was a good book to start things off with.  If you have a soft, rotten, decaying spot for ghost stories than I think you'll enjoy this book.  If you have unruly children whom you wish to creep out, then this is a good book to read aloud to the little hellions. 

Midnight Book Rating: 11:30pm- not quite the stroke of Midnight, but a great book to be reading when the midnight hour approaches *insert ghoulish laugh of your choice here*

I Just Won NaNoWriMo, Does This Mean I Can Read Again?

I did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Take a moment to be awed.

Go on, I'll wait.

I reached the 50,000 goal at about 10pm this evening (actually I hit 50,294 because I was being a good girl and not checking my word count after every paragraph like usual).

Am I done? Heck no!  I think in the end the book I'm writing will be closer to 80-90k, and then after edits back to a nice 70k or so.  I have sooooooo much fixing to do that it's not even funny.  Except some of my mistakes are pretty amusing.  XD

But now I can allow myself to read again.  I just haven't been able to read much this month because I didn't want to accidentally rip off other writers (well, anymore than I could help to).  So I put aside my Generation Dead book, because my novel is a young adult novel, and made little progress in my early Christmas present from Papa King- The Dome.  And I really, really want to read it, but it's huge and every time I cracked it open my own novel somehow managed to glare reproachfully at me despite only having physical form on my laptop.  NaNoWriMo guilt does strange things to a person.

This month has gone by quickly, and for the most part I did a really great job with writing every single day.  There were a couple days (three to be exact) where I wrote not one word.  But thanks to a great early start I was never behind.  I read on someone's blog that the best way to approach NaNoWriMo was to get a lead early on, which is what I did.  Other than the first day, when I managed the minimum of a little over 1667, I was always well ahead.  On average I aimed for 2-3 thousands words a day, which made my days where I wrote little to nothing all that easier to deal with.  Once I passed the 20k mark I even stopped panicking.

Expect some long awaited reviews to post in the upcoming days, but for now I am going to crash.  I've spent the last 3 days with the family or at Write Ins and I am exhausted.  Plus I have to work all day tomorrow. 

Thanks for all the support from all of you guys and gals here and on Twitter.  It meant so much to me, and it really helped spur me on knowing that other people were aware that I was attempting this.  And I'm sorry in advance because I'm going to put you through the same thing come April for Script Frenzy (I just know I can write a horror movie that Tarantino will want to "present"!). 

I Know I Need To Book Blog, But NaNoWriMo is a SOUL EATER!

I have read lots of books since my last review.  Between the readathon and my own love of literature there are 6 or so books I have failed to review in the past few weeks.  In my defense, I've been busy.  Immediately after readathon I worked a few days straight, and then I was busy getting my apartment house guest clean for my Okie friends Bittner and Ame.  Then I pretty much banned myself from the computer whilst they were here.  I got out of the house (!), I only read a little (and that much simply because 13 Reasons Why is pretty hard to put down) I watched a butt load of Halloween horror movies.

My friends were here through the 2nd, so I dragged them to the Richmond NaNoWriMo kick off party on the first.  They agreed, and both are actually planning on participating, which makes me super happy.  Also at the party were my brother Michael and my niece Sam, both whom I introduced to NaNo.  The party was a blast, and I went in quite happy, having woken early that day to get in my word count.

I've wanted to participate in the National Novel Writing Month program for a few years.  Both times I chickened out.  I love writing, and I've even written some short stories I'm not ashamed of.  But I have always failed at writing a novel.  I'm easily distracted by bright and shiny new story ideas.  I didn't think I had the discipline to write a novel (I know I lack the talent, but I'm full of great ideas). I was determined to do NaNo this year.

So far I am doing awesome! I'm ahead of my word count goal, I've ignored distractions and written even when I didn't feel like it.  At over 11k words, I've already written more of a novel than I ever have before.  I'm beginning to believe I can do this!  I don't even care if it's a suckfest, just being able to say I wrote a novel is going to be a huge achievement. 

But I will try not to neglect you, oh dear book blog.  You are part of the reason I feel confident this year.  Through you I have met so many awesome bloggers, some even participating in NaNo, and some who are just cheering us word slaves on.  Thank you!  I might even do Script Frenzy in April (I'm not sure yet because I am not allowing myself to even think of an idea for a script at the moment).

So, books I've read recently and will presumably review in the somewhat near future:

Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror by Chris Priestley
Shadow on the Dial by Anne Lindbergh
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Dead Until Dark (re-read for Sookie challenge) by Charlaine Harris

Currently reading: Generation Dead- which I'll try to do a Friday First blog with tomorrow.

But for now I am wordless and tired.  I need my rest so that I can re-set my end of the week word goal to 17k- I would go for 20k but I work weekends and won't have as much time to write as I would like, but I'll re-evaluate after tomorrow.  Wish me luck!

On Vacation... sort of!

I am not MIA- but my friends drove all the way from Oklahoma to Virginia to spend Halloween with me, so my internet time has to be sacrificed.  I had to stay up late to post this!  Will be back by Tuesday to give a post Halloween run down, and maybe actually do a wrap up on readathon!

So, until then dear readers, get reading!  And if you're doing NaNo this year, get plotting!  I expect to see how many words you're up to come Tuesday.  I'm dragging my wonderful friends to the NaNo kick off party just so I can stay motivated.  Did I mention how awesome they are?  Love you, girls!!

My Book Reading Companions Challenge

Reading is seldom a solitary activity if you have pets, so here's mine:

Riley (our first born) This picture does not do him justice.  He is HUGE, I'm pretty sure that makes us bad kitty parents...

Joey (she's a girl). Believe it or not, her eyes have never actually popped out of socket, but they do bulge a bit.

                         

Emmy, our third and final baby. She's a chi-weenie.  She's usually right up against me, cowering from Riley.  He's a bit of a bully.

And I must not forget my favorite baby of all: The Hubs

<----Hubs

So, there you have it.  My reading companions.  Don't forget to check out this mini-challenge here.

Good reading to all!

Mini Challenge: Collections

I collect... weird socks.  It goes back to the day when I was a bookkeeper for a grocery store.  We had to wear khakis, and to top misery upon misery, khaki colored shirts.  So my one rebellion was wearing weird socks, which I've continued to this day.  Here's a few pics of them.  I had to use my cell phone for this one, but here they are:

 

Mini Challenge #6- Perspectives

 Here's the challenge:
Perspectives 

• Challenge: Name three books that are told from a different world view, a different perspective, that you have read and enjoyed. Give a one sentence summary of the book, and another sentence that explains how the book shares a unique perspective. The prize books are great examples of this different perspective. In “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”, the story is told from the perspective of a book who has autism- he sees the world very differently than someone without autism. “A Prayer for Owen Meany” tells the story of Owen Meany- a boy with a entirely unshakeable certainty about the future…he knows his own ultimate fate, and sees things in a whole different light because of it.

And here's my 3 books:

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz: the story of a young man that sees dead people and tries to help them. >Odd Thomas is such a quiet, unassuming hero that I find quite inspiring.

The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule- nonfiction of account of true crime writer Ann Rule as she discovers her dear friend, Ted Bundy, is a serial killer. 

The Host by Stephenie Meyer: The story of invading alien species told by an invader herself. < I've read lots of alien invading stories, but the unique perspective of the alien itself was refreshing, and made me think of how our world would look to a gentler, more advanced species.

Mini Challenge #4: Book Title Senteces

Okay, here's my attempt at making a sentence:

It reads: When she was bad Scarlett burned Whitethorn Woods.

I almost used the book Little Children in place of Whitehorn woods, but that's maybe too morbid for a fun mini-challenge. 

Still reading Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror- so much reading left to do!!! I'll be lucky to finish 3-4 books this readathon. 

My First Readathon Mini-Challenge!!!!

Squeeeee! Hour 1 is done and I'm ready for my first mini-challenge!! So here it is!

Go here: http://wordlily.com/2009/10/24/trending-on-twitter-a-read-a-thon-mini-challenge/ if you want to join in!

October Readathon About to Commence!

Good morning,  my book reading minions!  In just 20 minutes the frenzied sound of books opening up all over the world will freak out those non-readers of the planet.  They will pause, tilt there heads, and wonder What the heck was that sound?  But we will know it is the  sound of hundreds of books opening up, some for the first time, others, well read perhaps even tattered and worn, for the hundredth time.  I can't wait!!!

So, what book are you starting with?  What book are you most excited to read?

I'm starting with Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror by Chris Preistley, and I'm probably most excited about this one as well.  Still, I have a pretty awesome pile o' books, as you can see below. 

Good luck to all, see ya occassionaly on twitter!  There will be some silence from me as I have to go to work tonight (please, no tears, although tragic it does not end my readathon time, it merely delays for a few hours) so I'll be radio/twitter silent from about 6:30pm est to about 11:30pm est, but I should be able to tweet after that).  Can't wait to catch up on all the wonderful new and old bloggers I've started following in just the past days!

Books I Mooched From My Niece!

<---This is my niece Sam, she's 18 and one of my suppliers for my monthly hits of teen fic.  She doesn't look like a dealer (although she is at a playground in this pic, hmmmm), but look at what she gave me to "try" for free last Sunday:

Burned by Ellen Hopkins

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Glass by Ellen Hopkins

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Dracula by Bram Stoker (not a teen fic, but he is the great-grandfather of Edward Cullen and family)

Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (the book she used to hook me and reel me in)

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak

It Had To Be You by Sarah Webb

Departures by Lorna J. Cook

What Hearts by Bruce Brooks

Despite my already over burdened readathon pile, I suspect a few of these books may jump ship on Saturday and demand to be read.  It's the price of being an addict, my friends. 

Graceling Review by UnGraced Blogger

Recently I finished Graceling by Kristin Cashore. 







 Here's a quick Amazon summary:

If you had the power to kill with your bare hands, what would you do with it? Graceling takes readers inside the world of Katsa, a warrior-girl in her late teens with one blue eye and one green eye. This gives her haunting beauty, but also marks her as a Graceling. Gracelings are beings with special talents—swimming, storytelling, dancing. Katsa's Grace is considered more useful: her ability to fight (and kill, if she wanted to) is unequaled in the seven kingdoms. Forced to act as a henchman for a manipulative king, Katsa channels her guilt by forming a secret council of like-minded citizens who carry out secret missions to promote justice over cruelty and abuses of power.
Combining elements of fantasy and romance, Cashore skillfully portrays the confusion, discovery, and angst that smart, strong-willed girls experience as they creep toward adulthood. Katsa wrestles with questions of freedom, truth, and knowing when to rely on a friend for help. This is no small task for an angry girl who had eschewed friendships (with the exception of one cousin that she trusts) for her more ready skills of self-reliance, hunting, and fighting. Katsa also comes to know the real power of her Grace and the nature of Graces in general: they are not always what they appear to be.
Graceling is the first book in a series, and Kristin Cashore’s first work of fiction. It sets up a vivid world with engaging characters that readers will certainly look forward to following beyond the last chapter of this book. (Ages 14 and up) --Heidi Broadhead

I admit to wanting to read this book because I had heard it was similar to Hunger Games.  And it is set in a dystopia, and the main character's names are quite similar (Katsa in Graceling, Katniss in HG), but that's the only real connection.  It took me awhile to get into Graceling, although I really enjoyed it.  Katsa's character, at first, was hard to relate too.  She seemed very immature, but the plot and other characters kept me interested.  As the book progressed, so did Katsa, she had a genuine character arc.  As for the lead male character, Po was near perfect.  The best thing about their love was that neither took anything away from the other, but instead enhanced one another.  That's how real love (should) works.  I enjoyed the minor characters, would have loved to see them even more.  I think Cashore created a very intriguing world, and look forward to reading her other books.

Rating: 11pm, not quite a Midnight read, but well worth staying up for!

Way Back Wednesdays

Welcome back to the second edition of my weekly blog, Way Back Wednesdays.  Here's what ya do:

1. Grab a book of your shelf that you have not reviewed on your site (unless you've been blogging a super long time). Selection can either be random, or an oldie but goodie that you're dying to share with people. List title and author.

2. Give a 7 word description of the book.

3. If you can, post a picture of the book.

4. Open the book at random and type the 3rd full sentence found on the right hand page (or the left, if you're left handed- Midnight Book Girl does not discriminate- do both pages if you're ambidextrous).

5. Answer these questions:
    1. Did you like the book?
    2. How well do you remember it?
    3. Would you recommend it?
    4. Would you re-read it?

6. Post a link to your post in my comments box, or just answer there if you're not going to post the picture of the book cover.

Here's my Way Back Wednesday book:

1. The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar

2. Scottish faeries fight, love,drink in NYC.

 

3.

4. Dinnie protested to the disgusted Heather that it was all a mistake and he still really loved Kerry, but the fairy, after a few cutting insults concerning his sexual performance and what an unimpressive sight he made in the shower, had simply packed her things and left. Pg 200

 5:   1. Did you like the book?  Very much so.  I love Millar's style of writing.
       2. How well do you remember it? Not as well as I should because there are lots of characters, but I remember the basic plot and the humor of the story.
       3. Would you recommend it? I would, although Millar's style and subject is not for everyone.  We read       Millar's Lux the Poet for our book club, and my friend Bittner hated it.  He's a strange, quirky writer.  Which is why I love him.
      4. Would you re-read it?  Absolutely.  My favorite book by him is Lonely Werewolf Girl, but The Good Fairies of New York was a funny, bizzare and interesting read.

6. Ha! Step six doesn't apply to me since this is my blog.  But I can't wait to read your posts!
    

Catching Fire Has Set Me Ablaze!

I loved Hunger Games, the first book by Suzanne Collins.  I loved it a lot, we even went steady for a bit. It, for me, was the American version of Battle Royale by Koushun Takami- a incredible book and fantastic Japanese film, as well as a series of manga.  Waiting for the sequel was like waiting for my name to be called at the Quarter Quell.

Whatever I had braced myself for in the second book wasn't enough.  I thought I had a good imagination, but kudos to Collins for blowing my expectations out of the water without jumping the shark.  I won't spoil the book for you, so I won't talk about the plot, but wow.  Just wow, Ms. Collins.

Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Prim, and all your favorites are back (sadly no Rue, but she gets a fitting tribute).  The triangle that was brewing in the first book is more fleshed out in Catching Fire, but it is never the focus, which is a relief.  Unlike other love triangles (Edward/Bella/Jacob or Stefan/Elena/Damon) there's no clear front runner for me.  I feel that Katniss belongs with Gale, but Peeta is one of my all time favorite characters that I can't see how Katniss doesn't love him madly.  Only Katniss is not me, she's not interested in getting married and having babies.  It occurs to me now that Katniss already has raised and taken care of a family, her mom and Prim,  and I don't think she can ever truly give Peeta what he needs or deserves. 

Something in Katniss is broken, but it's this very aspect that is her saving grace.  The death of her father, her mother's inability to cope in the beginning, risking her life to feed and protect her sister, all these events have left a deep mark on Katniss.   But they also prepared her to win the Hunger Games, to save Peeta.  I don't know that I want Katniss healed, a Katniss that was eager to marry and raise children would be a tragic character departure.  Still, I want a happy ending for Peeta....

My solution?  Prim for Peeta!  It'll be very Little Women, Jo and Laurie can't be together because Jo isn't right for Laurie, and then eventually he falls in love with Amy.  Perfect solution for Prim and Peeta. 

I know this hasn't been much of a review, but anything I say will be a spoiler, so if you even kinda, sorta liked Hunger Games, Catching Fire will blow your book loving mind.  It's a better, richer, more complex novel.  There's lots of Katniss, lots of Peeta.  District 12 is wonderfully brought to life again, becoming another character in its own right.  You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll hold your breath and almost pass out until you remember to breathe again.

Catching Fire gets a rating of: Midnight Read. 

*Dear FCC, despite the fact that I am rigorously recommending this book to anyone that will stand still long enough to listen, I bought the copy of the book myself.  Suzanne Collins and her publishers did not solicit my opinion, nor do they return my emails or calls. They do not acknowledge my fan collages or my repeated requests to have my apartment be mentioned as District 0.  The two neighborhood children I sent them as tributes were promptly returned, and the proper authorities were called on me.

My Readathon Pile O' Books

Here it is folks, my readathon book line up!  Mostly spooky tales, and a mix of books that have lingered on my shelf, new books, and even a few "so nice, thought I'd read It twice" book.  Okay, this is my 4th or 5th re-reading of It, but I love it more each time!

Starting at the top and working my way down:

Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror by Chris Priestley- reading this for my book club October selection.  It's a children's book so I expect to breeze through it.

Ripped From a Dream: The Nightmare on Elm Street Omnibus by David Bishop, Christa Faust and Tim Waggoner- I've had this awhile and I've read most of the first story, but it keeps getting lost in the shuffle when I move.  Who better to read about then Freddy Krueger? 

The Vampire Diaries, Vol 1 by LJ Smith- again I've read these books before, but I'm re-reading them for the challenge.  I bought this book over a year ago, and I still have the original books from my high school days, but they have been read so much that I don't trust them in a fast paced readathon.  

Magic For Beginners by Kelly Link- a collection of short stories.  I read and LOVED the first story, the second one not so much- which led to me putting it off in favor of other books, but I like reading short stories, and think it'll give me a sense of accomplishment when I finish it.

20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill- I've heard good things about this short story collection and am currently enjoying Hill's Heart-Shaped Box. 

The Best of John Bellairs: The House with a Clock in Its Walls; The Figure in the Shadows; The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring by John Bellairs- Again, I bought this last year in October,  but didn't get around to reading it.  THwaCiIW was one of my all time favorite books when I was a kid, and I'm looking forward to discovering some of that old magic.  Plus, it'll be an easy read.

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters- one of my Bookswim rentals.  It's a book I've been wanting to read since it came out, so I thought I'd add it to the readathon pile. 

Shadow on the Dial by Anne Lindbergh- Another way back favorite that I bought recently from ebay.  It's no longer in print, but Lindbergh's books pwned a whole summer for me.  I plan on getting Worry Week and the Hunk-Dory Dairy as soon as I can swing it.

 Serena: A Novel by Ron Rash- another Bookswim rental.  This book might be a little heavy for the readathon, but ever since I read the inside flap at a bookstore when it first came out, I was intrigued.  Since it's on my TBR ASAP pile, I'll try to get to it on the 24th.

Odd Hours by Dean Koontz- for those of you that haven't figured it out yet, I LOVE Odd Thomas.  When this book first came out I read it in a fever, so I think it deserves a re-read.  If you are looking for a great, unputdownable book, I suggest the first book in the series, Odd Thomas.  Easily one of my all time favorite books, and my all time favorite character (sorry, Mr. Darcy!).

The Mammoth Book of Best Horror Comics edited by Peter Normanton- I have been saving this beauty for an occasion such as this.  When I first moved to PA in the 8th grade, one of the things that made it bearable was discovering Tales From the Crypt and The Vault of Horror comic books.  I'm not all about the morbid, people, I also still buy the occasional Betty and Veronica Double Digest (except I won't buy them now because I'm super POed that they had Archie pick Veronica, so unless Betty redeems Reggie I will have nothing further to do with that series.). 

And Finally!:

It by Stephen King- I read It for the first time in 6th grade.  I have loved it ever since.  King just writes kids so freaking well.  I am in awe of his talent and imagination.  I started re-reading this book some months ago, but honestly put it off for cold, chilly season.  Reading it in the summer doesn't have the same effect on me as reading it in the winter, despite the fact that the book takes place in the summer.  

So, what's in your readathon pile?

Identical by Ellen Hopkins

Over two days spent sipping peppermint hot chocolate and caramel frappachinos, I read Ellen Hopkin's book Identical.  I had been vaguely aware of her work, but hadn't read anything of hers. Then I began a book blog and suddenly I was coming across her name frequently.  Banned book week further introduced me to her works as her books are often challenged by parents who like to ban books.  Naturally, that made me want to read her books, and then I found out that she writes her stories in a series of free verse poems.  As it was a book buying banned week for me, I headed to Barnes and Noble and started reading Identical.  The first day I read 2 hours straight, unable to find a stopping point until the Hubs called to remind me that I was suppose to be on my way to picking him up... oops.

Identical is the story of two sisters, identical twins Kaeleigh and Raeanne.  Their parents marriage is falling apart, their mom away on the campaign trail and even further emotionally away when she is at home, and their father is a respected judge with a drinking problem.  Years ago, while driving drunk, Kaeleigh and Raeanne's father caused an accident and lost the love of his wife.  She began separating from the family, and feeling dejected by his wife, their father turned to Kaeleigh for affection.

Yes, the story contains incest, drug use and scores of other issues that are less than pleasant so it may not be for the squeamish.  But more importantly it deals with real issues that face teens, and there is a kind of redemption at end.  I really enjoy Hopkin's verse style of writing.  I plan on reading the rest of her books simply because I love the style so much.  Although this wasn't a happy, happy sunshine book, it was a compelling look at an often secretive and destructive family issue.

Identical gets a rating of : Midnight Read, for it's unputdownableness. 

New Rating System: I will be rating books from 8pm Reads to Midnight Reads, Midnight being the best, and 8pm indicating a book you can probably skip in favor of a crappy re-run of a mind numbing reality show.  

Other verse style books you might enjoy:

Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow