Which Team Are YOU On?

If you keep up with teen books at all, you've probably at least heard murmurings about Zombies vs Unicorns, a short story collection edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier. These two ladies are HUGE in teen lit, particularly fantasy, and they've managed to pull together a great group of authors. The book is playfully arranged, too, with zombie and unicorn pictures in the corners of the pages so you can tell which camp the story falls into, and smack-talking introductions from the editors. It's clear that Black and Larbalestier want you to choose a team, although I thought I was going to like each side. As it turns out, though, I'm Team Zombie. Who knew??!?!??

Just a Lovely Book

I had read several good reviews of The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine, which is why I decided to check it out. This was kind of a leap of faith for me, as I'd not been a big fan of Schine in the past. Imagine my surprise when I found this to be one of the best books I've read in months! This quiet tale of three women, their lives in disarray, who move to a dingy guest cottage in Westport doesn't have a lot of splashy, quirky, larger-than-life events. What it does have is good characters, realistic emotions, and a simple beauty that allows me to recommend it highly.

Historical Fiction

I have often heard it said that history is boring.

When a friend asked me what I would recommend that she read, I gave her a list of the books I have been reading and realized there was a lot of historical fiction. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay , If I Should Die Before I Wake by Han Nolan and, of course, Leviathan and Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld. In all these books, I learned many things I never knew before in a way that was far from boring.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly was another one of those eye-opening, historical fiction, non-boring books. It is a well-written, well-researched book about the very different lives of two teenagers. Andi is a modern-day teenager trying to deal with her falling-apart family with the help of anti-depressants and music; while Alex is an eighteenth-century teenager trying to deal with her falling-apart country with the help of Shakespeare and fireworks.

With music and danger, princes and death, both worlds collide in a unique time-travel twist and both girls realize, “it is love, not death, that undoes us”. Nevertheless, in the end it is worth it.

Tasty Treats for Cold Winter Evenings

I don't know about you, but there's something about a cold, blustery day that makes me want to hunker down with an afghan, a mug of cocoa, and a freshly-baked cookie. To help us along in this quest, HCL has a fine collection of cookbooks, including the new Crazy About Cookies: 300 Scrumptious Recipes for Every Occasion and Craving by Krystina Castella. Just the cover alone is enough to make me want to pull out the mixing bowls and cookie sheets!