Your Friendly Librarian

Feedly or Taptu when Google Reader Retires?

2013-05-17T05:15:00.000-04:00

So we've known for a while now that Google Reader is closing up shop the summer. I've taken this time to test out several other RSS readers. I think I've finally settled on Taptu. But I tried Feedly and Currents first.

Here are my requirements:

I want to access my RSS Feeds (blog subscriptions) on any of my laptops.
I want to access them on my phone.
I want a cool widget on my phone
I want to access the on my tablet.

So...in other words, I'd like to access them anytime I'm online. This turned out to be a pretty steep order. And it knocked out several nice applications right away. I like Google Currents, but I can only access that on my phone. Flipboard is beautiful, but I can't access that on my laptop.

The reason I want to use the same app is so that they sync. If I've already read that article on the newfangled gadget review on my phone, then I don't want to open up my laptop and see it again right there front & center.

Feedly was the next reader app, since it got a lot of buzz after the Google Reader announcement. I tried it and stayed with it a while. It met all of the aforementioned requirements. But I don't like having to download a browser app. I don't like those. They feel like browser extensions and too many of those can slow down your browser. I'm just finicky that way, I guess. I just want to go to a website and see my stuff, like I can with Google Reader. I use several different laptops and I just want to go the URL, not have to install an app.

So, then I found Taptu. Bingo! There's a bit of a learning curve, because it's laid out differently than other RSS readers. But after fiddling with it, I got it all set up. The web version is gorgeous (no app installation needed), the phone version is beautiful, and the widget is darn nifty. Screen shots below.

What it looks like to share. There are 2 more
pages of choices to scroll through.

The Widget - you can flip through the stack of headlines

What it looks like to read an article.

The home page of the app

The layout of the web version is just as lovely and totally customizable! Yes, it will import your Google Reader RSS feeds!

Feedly does much of the same things. I just personally liked the way the Taptu widget functions better than the Feedly widget, although they were both equally appealing visually Also, as I mentioned, I have a thing about browser apps.

Overall I chose Taptu, but either should function fine for your needs. You might want to go ahead and import your feeds somewhere soon before Google Reader rides off into the sunset!

Why I Use Google Keep AND Evernote

2013-05-08T19:33:00.000-04:00

I really love Google Keep!

Even though the URL is mysteriously similar to Google Drive (drive.google.com/keep) - you can't access it from your Drive account. You just bookmark the URL. But I use it most on my phone. You can download the Android app here.

Below are some screen shots of the app:
You can choose a blank note, a checklist, create a note with your voice, or create a picture note.

With the voice note - it will dictate what you said as text in the note AND you'll have the little file to replay if you want. It's like one of those little voice recorders.

You can also color code your notes. I LOVE the way the notes are displayed in the little Google "card" format that is becoming ubiquitous throughout Google and Android. Plus, it enlarges the font to fill the space (see on the green note) - I didn't do that - it happens automatically. Pretty, right!?

I like that I can access my notes online too. It doesn't look as pretty, but it certainly works. The colors are merely a strip along the top. But all your other stuff shows up just fine.

Now...people are saying that Keep can't compete with Evernote. Well, duh! But in my opinion, it's not designed to. I use Google Keep for:

A quick grocery list that I can whip out at the store
A picture of something I want to remember for later (and then delete almost immediately afterwards)
A short checklist that I can add to quickly & easily and access anytime
I want to write something down (I haven't used an actual paper notepad in years - that's so last century!) ;)
To keep an on-going list of songs I want to download (I use the "what's this song" widget to keep a note)

Whereas I use Evernote for more complicated notes and folders like:

Bookmarking while online to collect ideas for a lesson
Notetaking in meetings or at conferences & workshops
While at the bookstore to snap pics of books I might want to purchase for library to keep in a folder
Pics of dinners my hubby cooks to annotate in my "yummy dinners" folder
Collections of websites, along with notes, to share at collaboration meetings

In other words, I use them both. They both have extremely useful functions. I need a complicated notetaking app AND a simple notetaking app. My over-riding requirement for ANY notetaker is that I can access it on my phone, my tablet, and online on my laptop. This is why the lovely notetaking app that comes on the ipad doesn't work for me. You can only access it on that ipad and nowhere else.

That's my 2 cents about Google Keep!

Ender's Game Trailer!!

2013-05-07T16:33:00.002-04:00

OMG!! It's here! The official trailer for ENDER'S GAME due out in November:

Also, check out this awesome interview with OSC where he gives his thoughts about the movie, describes his visit to the movie set, and talks about his brief voice cameo.

Jennifer Roy. MINDBLIND

2013-05-07T10:51:00.002-04:00

Fourteen-year-old Nathaniel Clark, who has Asperger's Syndrome, tries to prove that he is a genius by writing songs for his rock band so that he can become a member of the prestigious Aldus Institute, the premier organization for the profoundly gifted.

I was drawn to this book, because I was curious to view the world through a character with Asperger's. I enjoyed Nathaniel's journey to become a "true" genius, but I enjoyed even more his quest to relate to people in social situations. He has trouble reading people and their emotions. It was humorous when he spouted off facts in a situation when the person really just wanted a little sympathy. This gives you a glimpse into the minds of people with Asperger's or Austism and how difficult it must be for them. Most of us take for granted the ability to read people and judge situations based on nonverbal clues and facial expressions. But there many people who don't have this luxury. Life is very different for them.

What I really loved most was how his mother supported him. She deserves mother of the year for her fierce loyalty and creative ways of supporting Nathaniel. I also appreciated Nathaniel's friends for accepting him with all of his quirks. Great characters all around!!

Check out the author's website for more. You'll find out that she writes with authority and experience in regards to Asperger's.

C. K. Kelly Martin. YESTERDAY

2013-04-16T17:30:00.000-04:00

In 2063, Freya and her mother are captured and taken away. When she wakes up, she doesn't remember anything and....it's 1985. This is weird for us, but not for Freya, because she doesn't remember anything, at first. But she slowly begins to feel like she doesn't belong. She begins having nagging feelings that she can't explain. She even runs into a guy that she feels she's met before, although he doesn't remember her. The circumstances around her father's death are also sketchy. She begins investigating the few details she has about his death and her past.

This is an ambitious book. The author takes on time travel, dystopia, global warming, ESP, the 80's, as well as robots. For the most part she succeeds. I began to care about the characters, and that usually is the saving grace for me. If I can't care about the characters, then it's downhill with no going back on my part.

I enjoyed the time spent in 1985, but I felt the author was a little heavy handed with the 80's details. Maybe it was because I recognized them and felt they were gratuitous Maybe I wouldn't have noticed it so much if it had been a time period I wasn't familiar with? I don't know. I'll be interested to see if other readers felt that way too.

One other aspect that I want to comment on was the chapter long exposition that took place in the middle of the book. It couldn't be helped. But it was still jarring. Since the main character left 2063 so quickly at the beginning of the book for the mystery to begin, the reader didn't know anything about her world. So, this forced the author to tell us all about it in the middle of the book. I'm not sure she had any other way to go about this large task. Nevertheless, it interrupted the flow of the book.

There were many other aspects that I did enjoy. Again, I loved the two main characters, and the relationship they formed. I liked the way the clues seeped into Freya's life in interesting ways to help her figure out the mystery. Finally, I was intrigued by the future society that Freya lived in. I was interested enough to want to read more about that, even if I was troubled by the premise of how the society ended up the way it did.

If you're intrigued by the idea of someone being thrown into the past, without any clear idea why, you'll love this. Read more about the book and the author at her nifty website below:

Mary Amato. GUITAR NOTES

2013-03-29T09:43:00.000-04:00

Tripp and Lyla have nothing in common, except that they use the same practice room in the orchestra hall. Tripp uses it on odd days; Lyla on even days. At first, they begin leaving each other snarky notes displaying their prejudgement of each other. But as they keep writing, they begin to see that they have more in common than they realized.

Tripp's mom doesn't understand his love for playing the guitar. She thinks it absorbs too much of his time. She feels he should be spending his time making friends and doing "normal" things. Lyla's dad thinks she should continue to spend all of her time on her Cello and preparing for her blossoming career.

Both love music. Both are miserable because of it. As they continue writing to each other, they discover that together they may be able to improve both of their situations.

I adored this book! You can tell that the author is a talented musician, because she makes the songwriting process seem so enjoyable and much easier than I'm sure it is in real life. I could relate to both Tripp and Lyla's passion for music. Even though I'm not a music creator like them, I'm a huge music consumer. Music accompanies me throughout most of my day. I loved the way the author wove the characters, the music, the writing, and the science of sound all into this wonderful story of joy. It made my heart sing!

If you are interested in the songs or songwriting in general, you must check out the book's website: www.thrumsociety.com You can hear all of the songs in the book and learn a lot more. But read the book first! You don't want to read any spoilers. You want to experience the book fresh. But you can certainly check out the trailer now. There are no spoilers. Enjoy!

Kat Zhang. WHAT'S LEFT OF ME

2013-03-17T18:59:00.000-04:00

"I shouldn't exist, but I do."

With a tag line like that, how could I resist picking this one up?

Addie and Eva live in a world were two souls are born into one body. Typically, by the age of ten or so, one of the souls becomes dominant, while the other fades away. It's called "settling." If a person doesn't "settle" then both souls remain and you're called a hybrid. It's evil and dangerous to be a hybrid in this society, for some unspecified reasons.

Addie and Eva are one of these hybrids. But they hide it from everyone, including their parents. Addie is known as the dominant soul. Eva remains a secret to everyone except, of course, Addie. Addie meets two other hybrids and is unable to keep the secret any longer. After some suspicious behavior doctors from the government come and take all three of them away to a hospital to "cure" them.

I liked the book. It became suspenseful throughout the second half. This is an intriguing idea and brings up a lot of ethical questions, especially when you find out what is going on in the hospital. If you like dystopians, you'll enjoy this.

It's called THE HYBRID CHRONICLES, so expect a few more. I'm guessing it will be a trilogy, like all YA books nowadays. ;) Check out the awesome trailer!

Google Now will Rock Your World!

2013-03-15T13:10:00.002-04:00

So, I got a new phone. I had really adored my previous phone, the HTC Sensation, but it was two years old and you know how it is. If technology development is fast in laptops, it's at dizzying speeds in mobile. So, I was ready for a new one.

I like iOS and Android both and use an ipad, but for my phone, I prefer Android, for reasons I may lay out in another post in the future. I had been eye-balling the Nexus 4 because it's pure Android. What do I mean by pure? For those of you unfamiliar with Android, let me explain. Since Android is open-source, many different manufacturers use the operating system for their phones. But rather than leave the software alone, they add a "skin" on top of it to customize it to their particular vision. Samsung has a skin called TouchWiz (not a fan), HTC has Sense (very nice), Motorola had MotoBlur (now defunct due to massive criticism), etc. Also, carriers like to add their own apps, and we call this "bloatware." Anyhoo, when Google came out with their own phone (manufactured by LG) that you can buy directly from them with no skin and no bloatware, it thrilled the masses.

It's Android as it was meant to be. And it's amazing. It combines top of the line hardware sand Jelly Bean software in one phone, which makes it hands-down the best Android phone to date. I took some pictures, so check them out here. (Click on slideshow)

But now I'm off track. This post is about Google Now, which is included with any phone on Jelly Bean. At this point it's mostly just the Nexus 4, but other phones will upgrade soon and all new Android phones coming out will be on it as well. Google Now is initiated by simply swiping up on ANY screen, including the lock screen.

You can click the mic to ask it stuff, like Siri. But the answers will typically be more comprehensive, since Google Maps is used, as well as Google Search results, Gmail and more.

But the real beauty of it is that you don't have to ASK anything for it to continually supply you with needed information in a timely manner. For example, I ordered something from Amazon and later that day, when gmail emailed the tracking number, it popped up in Google Now, (see above photo) so then I can simply click "track package" to see when it will arrive.

If you're traveling somewhere, your hotel or flight information will pop up when you need it. Your calendar items will show there too. All these tidbits who up in little cards that you can either leave there or swipe away if you're finished with them. You can also customize which cards you want to use. For example: nearby events, sports scores, traffic, weather, translation, currency, etc. It uses your location, calendar, gmail, etc. to customize what you need WHEN you need it! Seriously. It's super cool!

I cannot explain as well as this video below. Check it out!

For more go here.

Nicholas Sparks. SAFE HAVEN

2013-03-08T13:51:00.000-05:00

Katie moves to the small southern town of Southport, North Carolina with the goal of making a fresh start. Alex, owner of the general store, notices Katie seems quiet and scared when she comes in to purchase her few essential items every week. She's obviously been through sometime traumatic and seems to be hiding. Katie warms up to Alex's acts of kindness towards her, but is still nervous to get too close.

Katie begins to love her new life in Southport. But as she grows to love Alex, she must decide whether or not to let Alex completely into her life or to keep the dark secrets hidden and risk losing him forever.

If you've read a Nicholas Sparks book before, you know that it typically involves romance and tears. This does both, although I was pleasantly surprised that it also included a good amount of suspense in the second half. Additionally, I loved the way he shifts points of view throughout the main characters, so you really get into their head. It kept me anxiously flipping through the pages to get to the end.

A good storyteller creates characters you care about enough to continue reading. Sparks does that here. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. He definitely pulls the heartstrings, as he usually does.

Katie Williams. ABSENT

2013-02-27T17:14:00.000-05:00

Paige died in physics class. The whole class was on the roof conducting an experiment that involved dropping eggs. Paige slipped, hit her head, and fell off the roof. But she's still hanging around the school, along with two other dead students, Brooke and Evan.

Paige and her classmates follow students around attend classes, and generally just spend their time wandering around school. It's interesting for Paige, at first, but then she begins to hear gossip about herself. Kelsey Pope, popular cheerleader, is saying that she committed suicide by jumping off the building.
Paige didn't jump! Paige is furious that people will remember her this way. Then she figures out a way to slip into living people and take over them inhabit. Maybe she can right this wrong and save her memory, after all.

On the surface, the book seems like just an every day ghost story. But with the interesting characters and beautiful writing, it's really much more. I enjoyed it and look forward to more from Katie Williams.

Check out her website where you can read the first chapter!

ABSENT is due out in May.

Beth Revis. SHADES OF EARTH

2013-02-18T12:05:00.000-05:00

“I learned that life is so, so fragile. I learned that you can know someone for just days and never forget the impression he left on you. I learned that art can be beautiful and sad at the same time. I learned that if someone loves you, he'll wait for you to love him back. I learned that how much you want something doesn't determine whether you get it or not, that "no" might not be enough, that life isn't fair, that my parents can't save me, that maybe no one can.”

SHADES OF EARTH is the final installment in the ACROSS THE UNIVERSE trilogy. (A MILLION SUNS was part two.)

Elder, Amy, and 1500 others from Godspeed have landed on the planet Centauri-Earth. All the puzzles that Orion left them to solve have led them to the surface of the planet. But now that they've landed, the frozen military officers have been awakened, and the leadership changes. Amy's dad, the colonel, takes over. He doesn't care that Elder is the leader of the 1500 shipborn people.

Although her dad inserts himself as the leader, he does understand that he needs Elder to convince his people to work together with the earthborns to build the colony and survive. They will have to become one colony. But none of that will matter if they can't stay safe. Shortly after landing, danger strikes from all directions. People begin to disappear and their new homes are attacked. Elder and Amy thought they solved all of Orion's puzzles, but there is one more clue they must find. It's the final and most important clue because it will unravel the whole mystery and possibly save the entire planet.

This was my favorite of all three books! It's a roller coaster of action and emotion. There is mystery, along with the science fiction. There is intelligence, along with the romance. It's a truly compelling story that I did not want to put down.

I love the writing. Beth Revis is an incredible writer, and I can't wait to read more from her. I love the character growth of Elder and Amy. Amy really grows into one feisty, strong character. I'll definitely remember her long after reading the book, as well as Elder.

The quote at the top really sums up how much is in the novel. What an amazing journey! I'm so sad it's over. Although I have to say, it was the BEST ending of a trilogy that I can remember reading!!

I wish I could share a book trailer, but alas, there isn't one. You shall have the Facebook fanpage instead:

Across the Universe trilogy on Facebook.

Beth Revis website.

Robin Sloan. MR. PENUMBRA'S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE Updated

2013-02-11T19:14:00.000-05:00

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore was just awarded the Alex Award on the freshly released ALA Awards. The Alex Awards is a list of outstanding adult books recommended for teens. It's in the vein of THE WESTING GAME and THE DA VINCI CODE, sort of. It's acutally a pretty unique puzzle/mystery/fantasy book all in its own.

Clay Jannon wanders into Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore because of the "help-wanted" sign. Little does he know that the store will change his life forever. It's no ordinary bookstore. Behind the few shelves with new books are these other mysterious looking, extremely tall shelves filled to the ceiling with one-of-a-kind books. Not simply rare books, but books that are literally the only one with those words.

After getting hired, Mr. Penumbra gives Clay an unusual set of instructions. After each customer transaction, he must write down everything about that customer's actions, clothes, and state of mind in the log book. Although the term "customer" seems to be incorrect, since the customers are merely exchanging their books for other books off the shelves in the back. No one pass any attention to the "regular" shelves in the front.

Mr. Penumbra told Clay not to look inside the books in the back, under any circumstances. But as things get weirder, Clay may not be able to resist any longer. What's in those books, and who are these quirky characters who are reading them? And why is the store open 24-hours, but rarely has any customers?

I loved this unique adventure! It's filled with secret societies, rare books, puzzles and codes, as well as Google headquarters! I'm not sure whether or not the information about what Google is really like, but it sure was fun reading about it. I loved the weaving together of old books and new technology. I also enjoyed the cast of characters, who were charming and fun.

Highly recommended!!

Check out this video of the author. I love when he talks about people asking him to pick between Books or Cool Stuff. I agree with him that we can love both! Click and the link will open up to the video on Amazon.

**NEW** Check this out! Macmillan Audio has graciously allowed me to share the first 13 minutes of the audio book! Click here to listen. The narrater is perfect!

TCEA Convention, Your Library on the Go!

2013-02-11T10:05:00.001-05:00

The TCEA (Texas Computer Education Association) conference was last week. It was my first time attending, and I definitely plan to attend again next year! I have many, many notes and ideas from the various sessions! I'll share some of the highlights.

First, I presented a session on mobile library resources. One of the main trends today is the availability of smart phones and tablets. If a student doesn't know something, they are within a few feet (or inches usually) of a mobile device where they can do research on the fly anytime, anywhere. With the flood of information available to them, I want to ensure that good resources are available to them as easily as Google and Wikipedia*. So, my goal was to have ALL of my library resources available to them via a mobile device. My presentation went through the different options I found, as well as what I chose to do in each area. I enjoyed the discussion I had with the audience, and I learned a lot too! Below is the slideshow.
*Yes, sometimes Google and Wikipedia are the perfect resource, but with academic research, you need more.

Your Library on the Gol! from Pamela Hill

Additionally, all the links mentioned in the presentation are located here at this Livebinder.

Two of the speakers that made an impact on me are Tammy Worcester and closing keynote Seth Mattison. I had never heard of Tammy Worcester, but all of her sessions had long lines to get in. In fact, if you weren't at the session at least 30 minutes before the start, you didn't get in. On the last day, I decided to wait in line to see what all the fuss was about. It was worth it. The session was called Creating and Collecting Digital Work. It was a type of session where I had multiple browsers open, so I could take notes, bookmark in Diigo, and follow along with each of her tool demonstrations. Suffice it to say, I learned a LOT in that hour.

Check out her treasure trove of information here.

Seth Mattison spoke about communication between the generations. He pointed out that in the workforce today you can have a situation where four different generations are working together. Many people struggle in this situation because the generations have different paradigms and ways of working. Each generation's ways of doing things is shaped by the events of their formative years. It was so enlightening! It's our job to make sure we communicate with people in a way that works for them, rather than judge them for way they choose to communicate. More here.

There were many other great sessions, but I'd rather not make this the longest blog post in history! I'll be putting many of the ideas I learned into action. Then I'll blog about them.

Jennifer Archer. THROUGH HER EYES

2013-01-29T17:31:00.000-05:00

Tansy Piper is moving to another new town with her mother, a horror novelist - "the female version of Stephen King, minus the megabucks and movie deals." Tansy's mom must live in the setting of her novel, so they've moved a lot over the years. The tiny town of Cedar Canyon is quite an adjustment from San Francisco. But, their new house is old and has enough character to intrigue Tansy. Especially after hearing the rumors that it's haunted by a young teen who died there decades earlier.

Soon after moving in, Tansy breaks out her old 35mm camera to begin shooting her new surroundings. Things get weirder and weirder from there. She begins seeing people in her viewfinder who aren't really there. Scenes are shown in black and white, rather than color. Then when she finds a box of treasures hidden in her cellar, she's able to connect with the ghost she's heard the rumors about. She's drawn into his world little by little until she's almost fully immersed.

Will she be able to pull herself out before it's too late?

This was a fun ghost story set in a quaint little town full of interesting characters. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Check out the trailer below for a touch of atmosphere from the book:

Seth Grahame-Smith. ABRAHAM LINCOLN VAMPIRE HUNTER

2013-01-21T16:14:00.000-05:00

I begrudgingly picked this one up, after it was selected by the students in my book club. I was pleasantly surprised. It's a unique combination of horror and historical fiction. I felt like I was reading an accurate account of Lincoln's life. The vampire hunting just made Lincoln all the more interesting!

The librarian in me compelled me to continually research all the interesting little facts to make sure they were accurate! The ending was definitely memorable. That's about all I need to say about this one. I liked it. If you like horror and/or history, you'll like it too.

I decided to leave you with the movie trailer, rather than the book trailer, because it's just more exciting. Enjoy!

Alexandra Bracken. THE DARKEST MINDS

2013-01-01T21:37:00.000-05:00

Ruby was taken away from her parents at ten-years-old and brought to a "reform camp" with hundreds of other kids with special abilities. A sickness has killed of most of the children in America, and those who escaped the sickness are left with something scarier than death. They have abilities they cannot control. Adults are so frightened that they round up all the kids they can and lock them in these reform camps.

What about the parents? Many are scared enough of their own children that they gladly give them to the government. Others try to hide them or go on the run. Some even form resistance leagues to try to save the children.

When Ruby turns sixteen, someone from the rescue league rescues her from the camp, but no one can rescue her previous "normal" existence. She thought leaving the camp would be the answer to her prayers, but life outside the camp and the choices she must make are even more frightening.

Wow! This is one of the best books I've read in a while! It grabs you from the first page and does NOT let go until the very last sentence! Then, it leaves you with deep longing for the next installment!

Check out the killer trailer! How can you watch this & want the book immediately!?

Lara Avery. ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY

2012-12-25T21:43:00.000-05:00

Bryce Graham was diving at the Olympic trials when she makes a slight mistake that nearly ends her life. She ends up in a coma for five years. But then she wakes up.

Everyone calls her a miracle. But it takes her a while to settle back into her life. Everyone else has moved on. Her best friend and boyfriend have graduated from high school and college. They are beginning careers. Bryce feels lost and unsure of herself.

Since her old best friend, Gabby, feels distant, she's become close with someone else. A med student named Carter watched over her in the hospital for years. They become close and he helps ease her transition back into every day life.

Although there's one aspect of her recovery that Bryce doesn't tell even Carter about. She begins having visions. Some are of the past, like while she was in the coma, while others are of the future. She isn't sure if her brain is playing tricks on her or if it's a symptom of something wrong. But she doesn't really want to know for sure, so she plans to ignore them - as long as she can.

This was an interesting read. I like the concept of missing five years of your life and trying to "catch up." I'm always fascinated by how the brain works and the effects of trauma to different parts of the brain.

There were some really lovely parts of the book that I enjoyed. Overall, a nice read!

M.L. Stedman. THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS

2012-12-16T15:17:00.000-05:00

"Right and wrong can be like bloody snakes: so tangled up that you can't tell which is which until you've shot 'em both, and then it's too late."

Tom Sherbourne takes a job as a lighthouse keeper in Australia, attempting to live a peaceful life down after years in the war. He doesn't expect to find a lovely woman in the nearby town to settle down with. But Isabel takes him by surprise by agreeing to marry him and live with him on the isolated island of Janus Rock.

The two of them enjoy living alone on the island and look forward to starting a family. But after several miscarriages, Isabel becomes distraught and lonely. Their lives change forever one day when a baby turns up on shore in a small boat, along with her deceased father. Isabel feels like it's a miracle sent to them. Tom wants to alert the authorities She convinces him to wait a day or two just to give her time to take care of the baby and make sure she's okay. Isabel swears that the mother must have drown since there was a women's cardigan in the boat. Tom sees how the baby has brought Isabel back to life and he's torn between doing the right thing and making his wife happy.

The longer they keep the baby, the harder the decision becomes for Tom to do what he knows is right. When they visit the nearby town on shore leave, the decision to keep the baby wreaks even more havoc on his conscious. He must make some difficult choices. And he's not the only one. Isabel has gut-wrenching decisions to make, as well as several other characters. Several families get caught up in this one decision that Tom and Isabel made.

This is an emotional, moral tale that will make you think deeply about what decisions you would make in Tom and Isabel's position. How much hurt would you case a person you love to do the right thing? Do you swallow your own guilt to please your loved ones? Or do you stay true to yourself but sacrifice their happiness?

The writing is exquisite and beautiful. I highlighted many meaningful sections. Here's an unforgettable section about forgiveness.

A character who seems always happy, even after all the bad that's happened to him, he's asked how he does it. He says he chooses to. He can either rot in the past or forgive and forget.

"Oh, but my treasure, it is so much less exhausting. You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all, every day. You have to keep remembering all the bad things."

Wow. Truer words were never spoken.

Quest to Learn - Institute of Play Schools

2012-12-12T09:41:00.000-05:00

I first heard about the Quest to Learn school from Jane McGonigal. Ever since, I've been fascinated with the concept of school curriculum based on gaming. Fortunately, SLJ has an article this month written by one of the game designers at Quest to Learn. He explains in detail how the teachers and game developers go about designing lessons. It's eye-opening. Click the pic to read the article.

I only wish I could send my son to Quest to Learn! He would be so excited about going to school every day! If you're as fascinated by the concept as me - check out The Institute of Play and Quest to Learn for more information. What student wouldn't want to go to a school created by a group called The Institute of Play!!

Now, if someone would build one of these schools in my area...

Kendare Blake. ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD

2012-11-18T17:43:00.000-05:00

Theseus Cassio Lowood is a killer. A ghost killer. It's the family business. His father also went after ghosts, before he was killed on the job when Cas was seven. He and his mother travel from town to town taking care of business.

The ghost known as Anna Dressed in Blood draws Cas to Thunder Bay, Ontario. Usually on a job, he's able to keep to himself, do his detective work locating the ghost, and then take it out with no trouble. But Thunder Bay brings several new issues for him. A guy named Thomas follows him around asserting himself into the the hunt. The prom queen-type, Carmel, is also overly interested in Cas. But the most important issue is Anna herself, who is a much more powerful ghost than Cas has ever come up against.

When Cas gets to know Anna, things get even more complicated. He becomes sympathetic towards her plight. But he's supposed to kill her. Uh-oh.

I loved this book! It's a ghost story with some witty hard-boiled mystery novel sprinkled in. I was taken in immediately by witty Cas. And the supporting characters are just as wonderful. Thomas isn't merely the goofy friend type. He's becomes a fun, smart and strong friend. The relationship between Cas and Anna is unique, but it works well and I rooted for the two of them.

Kendare Blake is a new author and we're thrilled to be hosting her at our Montgomery County Book Festival in February.

Check out the trailer

David Levithan. EVERY DAY

2012-11-12T19:29:00.000-05:00

"I keep looking at Roger's mother, who is so tired, so taxed. I feel as much belief in her as I do in God - I find faith in human perseverance, even as the universe throws challenge after challenge our way."

A (the character's name is "A") wakes up every day in a different body. It's been that way since birth. As a child, A didn't really understand what was going on, but now at sixteen, he has figured it out. (A doesn't identify as male or female, but it's easier to pick one than to keep using "he or she" or the even more cumbersome "the character.") He's able to access the memories needed to get through the day in each of the person's bodies he inhabits. He enjoys the everyday experiences and goes along just fine.

That is until he inhabits Justin's body and meets his girlfriend Rhiannon. He falls hard for her. He doesn't want to leave her. But he has no choice.

However, he manages to connect with her a few more times in different bodies. He finds a way to tell her about himself. He explains and finally convinces her that he travels from body to body. She feels the same way about him, but is reluctant to continue their relationship. A must find a way to make it work between them. After all, doesn't love conquer all?

I was intrigued by this concept and was excited to see how it played out. I think it worked well. I'm not sure I'm 100% pleased with the ending, but I think the author had no choice. You'll see what I mean when you read it. Please do read it.

One thing I really appreciated was the sheer number of mini-stories that the author had to create to depict all the lives A was traveling through. He had to create so many unique and interesting stories. Some were so compelling that I wanted A to stick around a few more days.

Another part that I loved was the relationship between A and Rhiannon. I felt the connection. I was moved by the connection. Overall, the book is unique and moving.

By the way, one of my favorite books of all time was written by David Levithan - DASH & LILY'S BOOK OF DARES. It's a great holiday book. After you read EVERY DAY, you should totally check this one out too!

For more on David Levithan, here's his website.

Lisa McMann. DEAD TO YOU

2012-11-06T17:33:00.000-05:00

At seven-years-old, Ethan was abducted from his front yard. It’s nine years later and he’s been returned to his family.

He’s so happy. His parents and siblings are happy. But after a short while, his brother, Blake, becomes increasingly angry at him. Ethan isn’t sure why. His new little sister has become fast friends with him. His mother and father are both so thrilled to have their family whole again. What's up with his brother?

Blake begins to question Ethan about the abduction. Ethan can’t remember anything about it or anything before the abduction. Blake makes accusations and begins investigating Ethan. Ethan just wants to be left alone to enjoy his new family. Why won’t Blake leave it alone? Are there really secrets to uncover about the incident?

I enjoyed Lisa McMann's CRYER'S CROSS, so I chose to read this one too. Ethan is a sympathetic character. I felt his pain and longing for his "normal" family. His little sister is a wonderfully engaging character. However, the ending left me wanting more. A lot more. I'm hoping there is a sequel. I'm not a fan of these kind of endings unless there is a sequel. But that's just me. Others loved the ending. You decide! And please, let me know what you think of the ending, if you read it.

Check out Lisa McMann's website. Below is the trailer:

Distractions...Book Festival and Ironman

2012-11-06T12:38:00.004-05:00

It may appear that I've been missing in action for a few weeks. Well, two happy distractions have been keeping me busy these last few months.

#1 - I'm on the committee for the Montgomery County Book Festival, which is even bigger and better this year. I'm the official blogger. So, I've been blogging nearly every day. We are announcing the authors one at a time to create suspense. Not only are we posting biographies, but we've interviewed all of them. There are 40 authors coming to this fabulous festival in February (totally unplanned alliteration there!). So, I have been blogging up a storm, just at another blog. Click below to check it out!

Montgomery County Book Festival: An Interview with Kendare Blake via kwout

#2 - My personal friends and acquaintances know that I'm also a triathlete. Typically, the training doesn't take too much time away from blogging and reading. However this fall, I trained and raced my biggest event yet, Austin Ironman 70.3, which is 70.3 miles of swimming, biking and running, in case you aren't familiar with Ironman events. So...needless to say, this did take a lot of my time. But it was extra exhilarating running through the finish line!

But now that all that's over, at least until next season, I'll have more time and hope to be blogging more regularly here again.

Neal Shusterman. UNWHOLLY

2012-10-22T08:21:00.000-04:00

“Does a sick society get so used to its illness that it can’t remember being well? What if the memory is too dangerous for the people who like things the way they are?”

UNWHOLLY is the sequel to the remarkably original UNWIND by Neal Shusterman. If you haven't read it yet, you really need to get on that! He's a wonderful writer and this is really one of the more unique dystopians out there today. By the way, I also love Shusterman's THE SCHWA WAS HERE and its sequel. Very different from UNWIND, but quite clever and enjoyable.

Now back to UNWHOLLY. This installment of the trilogy continues with the characters we love (Connor, Lev and Risa), but also introduces new characters. Shusterman has explored even more ways that unwinding would affect teens and adult.

Starkey is a stork AWOL, and he champions the cause for all storks. Nelson is a parts pirate making a living in a unimaginable way. Cam is completely new person who makes people question the very definition of what it is to be human. Risa is dealing with the decision not to have a new spinal cord transplant. Connor, as the leader of the airplane graveyard, has grown but also has a new set of frustrations and challenges.

If you loved UNWIND, you will devour this one too. With the additional characters and deeper plot development, Shusterman has written one of the best dystopian trilogies out there!

Check out the creepy trailer!

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EasyBib Extension for Chrome!

2012-10-17T13:39:00.000-04:00

If your students love EasyBib as much as mine do, check out their brand new Chrome Extension! You can cite directly from your browser. EasyBib says they have a Firefox extension on the way.

Give it a whirl. You'll love it!

Announcing EasyBib’s Chrome Toolbar Extension « EasyBib via kwout