What We Read Last Week - July 13

Peter Cameron's Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You was my teen fiction read last week.  I forget how I first came across mention of this book, but that led me to read this review in the New York Times Sunday Book Review and seek it out... 

It's superb, one of the best fictional depictions of the turmoils of the late teenage years that I've read: "adult perception without the deadening, reassuring glaze of adult experience", as the review says.  There's some Catcher In the Rye influence (but don't let that turn you off if you don't like Catcher--I'm not a big fan of it myself).

Highly recommended.  One of those "young adult" books that is really for everybody.  Very funny, very sad.

Alan H is a web librarian at Toronto Public Library.  He reads all over the place.

What have you read recently?  Let us know by commenting!

Comments

[Mary]

well i jsut read how to be a geek Goddess, yes i know that name does sound a bit odd but it's a wondeful book that showed me so much about technology while still being very funny. defintely something to read for anyone what want to know more about computers, phones, and anything else

[Sarah]

I just finished reading "The Other Boy" by Hailey Abbott. It was a light read. The main character, Maddy, is very clumsy and sarcastic, but that's why I loved her. The story is about her imprisonment on a vineyard farm during the summer of her 17th birthday when she could be partying with her friends in the city. To her surprise, she starts to see the beauty of the countryside and the beauty of this "other boy". I do recommend this book for anyone interested in the "Summer Boys" novels also by the same author.

[S.Sivanesan]

ok last week i read alot and right now i'm reading schooled and it is a great book!

[Alan H.]

Mary: That's from No Starch Press, one of my favourite computer book publishers! Cool.

For anyone else interested in becoming a geek goddess, you can actually get the book right on your computer at http://tinyurl.com/m9epqh - you'll need to enter your library card # and pin # to access the book.

[Devi]

right now i am readin The thing in the Lake...
so far soooo gooodddd...!!

[Violet]

Last week I read "Cowa!" by Akira Toriyama, oh yes, the creator of Dragon Ball Z >BD~! The Manga's about the journey of a vampire/were-koala named Paifu who goes off to save his monster town from a sickness with his ghost friend, another monster who is super cocky, and a grumpy human who used to be a sumo wrestler ! Ahh, I really liked the story, it was so funny. Plus there was a monster who guarded a forest that sort of reminded me of Majin Buu, or at least when he was fat and cool :E

And also! I read the first volume of Dr. Slump today, also by Toriyama, and also funny and really entertaining. I love reading simple, funny manga, it's a nice break from all those complicated stories ~:D

[sogand]

I read the book back by Norah Mccklintock and really loved it the English was easy but it was a really good book it was kind of mystery and sad I dont want to say the rest so you can enjoy the book by your self

[K]

I seem to be picking up a lot of the same sort of book lately. While in the library few days back, I picked up another one. These occurences lead me to believe that these sorts of books just really appeal to teens or something.

You probably know what I'm talking about-the Twilight sort of book, where 'normal' girls meet mysterious guys and fall in love.
I wonder if this is a good thing.

[Ally]

Last week I managed to read quite a few books. One of them being Shadow of Doubt by Norah McClintok. This is the fifth book in the Robyn Hunter Series. The fourth book, Out of the Cold, was awarded the 2009 Red Maple Award. This book was fast-paced and a lot seemed to be going on. Her teacher turned out to be her step-father's missing daughter. When her teacher gets a threatning message, Robyn finds both her and her teacher's life in danger. Overall, the book was pretty eventful and surprising. The author solved one mystery for us but brought out another at the end of the book that kept us hanging and wanting more!

[Ally]

I also read The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie and it was absolutely fantastic! It was sober and funny at the same time! It was really detailed and the descriptions were great! This story is about a girl named Bindy who is too perfect(if that's possible). She is the kind of person who will ask the teacher to give her homework to do voer the summer. She is very perky and annoying along with being perfect which doesn't earn her many friends. Due to her perkiness, along the way, Bindy has made some enemies. Enemies who may go as far as killing her.....

[Saiveena]

I read "Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac" by Gabrielle Zevin...

It was a great story with a really interesting twist, and there were like 3 guys for the heroine but the friendship (and possibly something more) between the heroine and her best friend (a guy) was just heartwarming :)

[Sara]

You HAVE to read "Sweetness in the Belly" by Camilla Gibb. It's a fantastic book, about a young white woman in a muslim world. One of the best books I've ever read, and I never get tired of it.

[Ally]

I've just read "Storky" by D.L Garfinkle and it's about a boy named Micheal and me likes a girl. His nick name is Storky because he's kinda wimpy and his mom is dating his dentist and his dad doesn't care about him.
It's weird how good D.L Garfinkle can write as a boy but she's a girl. Great book! It'll make you happy , it'll make you sad , it'll make you mad , it'll make you laugh. Heh? A little bit of everything! ( :P )

[Julie]

I have recently finished a book called 'Evermore' by Alyson Noël, part of a series called 'The Immortals'. It's about a girl named Ever Bloom, who after an accident that killed everyone in her family except herself, gained the ability to see auras, read people's mind and learn everything about them through touch. She is constantly in pain, suffering from her uncontrollable powers until a boy named Damen Auguste comes to her school. He's handsome, smart, talented--and is also capable of muting the thoughts of others that are jumbled in Ever's head. She quickly falls in love with him, charmed by his air of mystery. But is he who he really appears to be? He seems to be able to see the ghost of Ever's sister (someone who Ever thought only she could see) and he disappears off and on. And who is the beautiful, Drina, who always seems to linger around nearby?
This book is absolutely enchanting and intoxicating. The author writes with such magic and fluidity. My only concern is that I'm unable to find the sequel to this book, Blue Moon, in the Toronto Public Library Catologue. Two thumbs up for Evermore!

[Iffat]

Last week I read The Dead Pool, by Sue Walker. I have to say, it is an awsome mystery novel. Full of surprises in every chapter. And when you read along you tell youself -"I did not see this coming!!".
Kristin Rutherford comes to Scotland to inquire how and why Jamie Munro i.e., her ex-father in law died. Most people including her ex-husband believe that it was a suicide. Yet, nobody could convince her with the explanations they had and she decides to find out the real fact by herself. While doing that, she comes to know about two murders occured two years prior to Jamie's death, on the same place. Morag Ramsy was accused of these murders. She claimed that she was falsely accused and Kristin discoveres that Jamie was actually helping her as he believed her and kept contact with her untill he died. Kristin thinks that Morag Ramsy could help her to figure out what went wrong with Jamie and at the same time she could help her out with her case as well. But, surprises and dissapointments surround her in every step she takes. She does not understand who to believe, or who to fear. However, at last the truth comes to light, indeed in an astonishing way. Find out how!
Sue Walker is an amezing writer. I am looking forward to read the two other novel of her's. I can really assure that you will love this book. =D

[Oshin]

hey! I actually read" someday this pain will be used to you." It was the first book I read this summer..and I really loved the book. Its quite refreshing to read something written like that, coz it doesn't exactly hav a storyline, yet the protagonist's personality is so entertaining that it actually compells you to read further. I would actually like to meet someone like that...coz well, I'm kinda like him cuz I want to speak correct English all the time(although I don't). Its quite funny in its own subtle way. I would really recommend this book.

[Fei]

Recently, I've been reading different genres of books for example teen fiction and some classics written by Shakespear and Emily Bronte. I recommend everyone to read "Evermore". It's a really awesome book about the supernaturals and how Ever discovers what mysterious Damen is. Also, I've been reading "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte and I've had an interest in it since it was mentioned in the book "Evermore". After reading, I think it's a really good book although some may find it boring due to the language of the olden days. But I think it's very interesting how they organize their sentence structures in those kind of books.

[Nare]

Anyone start reading this weeks Non-Fiction book "The Year We Disappeared"?

[Ally]

If you like classic literature, then you should definitely read Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. Yesterday I just picked up this book last night but after that I couldn't put it down. It was like one of those books that you get addicted to and won't rest until it is finished. I stayed up all night reading this book and by 4 in the morning I was finally done. Overall, the book contained slight romance, angst, mystery and tragedy. This is a must read if you like classic literature.

[Oshin]

I've read "Jinx" by Meg Cabot which is interesting(its a mix of regualr teen fiction and some supernatural in a New York setting). I also read "Fairest of them All" by Jan Blazanin and it turned out to be a surprisingly great read! Its about this friendless beauty queen with great long golden locks who everyone thinks is a snob. One day, right after she signed a movie deal for a Rapunzel based film, she starts experiencing hair loss. The events that follow are quite captivating to read.

[Oshin]

I can't believe how much I've been reading ever since summer started-one book after another. But since I love reading, I don't mind it so much. I want to read some classic literature and I think I will try to read Evermore and Wuthering heights, because it seems to have gotten good reviews here.

[Tasfia]

well, currently, i've been reading the "sword of truth" series by Terry Goodkind... and, right now, i'm on the sixth book... there are twelve novels... it's really good... the best book after "twilight"

so, anyone who's read twilight, or the Sword of Truth sries, thumbs up.

[Sarah]

I read "The Other Boy" too. And it was a pretty good book. It was very unique.

[Kim]

Dear Twilight Fans,
I'm one of you guys too, and I heard that
" Blue Moon: The Mortals" is a similar book, and it's great too. I can't wait to try it.

[Kim]

Ghostgirl sound like a very interesting book. I wanna put a hold on it.