A couple of weeks ago I read Thirteen Reasons Why, and I found it compelling (I *needed* to keep reading to "hear" all the tapes), and I thought it was probably a really good reflection of being an American high-schooler (I don't know for sure, being 38, but it sounds right), but GOD DAMN was it depressing.

I loved that book, well, as much as you can love it given the subject matter. I actually found it uplifting in a way, (the whole actions impacting others aspect).

The stream-of-consciousness conversation went like this:

The Boy: "New book? Looks creepy...hey, gears! Is it steampunk? Goggles! ...is that Jilli?"
Me: "Yes, maybe, I don't think so but I can find out."
The Boy: "I want an umbrella like that!"
Me: "Parasol."
The Boy: "I still want one. Hey! I think I have the parts to MAKE one!"

IOW, just a normal night for us.

Oh, lord. Went to B&N.com to see if the new Sookie book is out (5/4), and a customer review ended "I can't wait! Even though this book isn't out yet, I love it!"

I get enthusiasm for a loved series, but...really? Reviewing something you haven't read yet? Dude. Wait a week.

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Thirteen Reasons Why

I read it a couple of months ago (it was a break from slogging through Under the Dome..man, King needed an editor stat for that thing and a story line). It was compelling (finished it in 2 days) and I found it affirming at the end in a lot of ways. I'm waiting for my daughter to get through her AP tests next week to read it so we can talk about it. Since she's a senior, I want to get her take on things, since it seemed close to how I perceive high school (at 52).

ETA: Right now I'm reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. It is very fun, love Flavia to death. I will probably have to go in search of the sequel when I'm done.

I will probably have to go in search of the sequel when I'm done.

I am reading it now. So far, so good.

I read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie because it's nominated for an Agatha award, in the best first novel category. Interesting how behavior that annoys me in many adult protagonists works for a precocious 11 year old.

I read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie because it's nominated for an Agatha award, in the best first novel category. Interesting how behavior that annoys me in many adult protagonists works for a precocious 11 year old.

That was a recommendation from the Book on the Nightstand podcast I listen to and I couldn't figure out if I would hate the protagonist or not.

It's really a fun read, told from an 11-year-old perspective, so it's easier to "forgive" her transgressions than from an adult.

Under the Dome picks up significantly. I finished it a few weeks ago, but did also read over a dozen books between starting and finishing :) It was better than tommyknockers, but i wouldn't consider it literary treason to give up and not finish it.

Yeah I finally finished it, and it seemed as though he suddenly remembered that he had a story line that he needed to actually get to but it was a loooong time coming and sorta ass-pully at the end (moreso than usual). I felt that it just didn't need to be 1,000 pages long, it would have been a good tight story at about 500 or so and not really lost anything.