40. Mirrors by Marianne K. Martin

The romance was the best part of the book and I wish there was more of it.  The book is borderline preachy.  But has a good message.  So many angles are left unexplored.  With Shayna case it like she gave us all these details but the conclusion doesn't come in detail just a summary of the conclusion.  Too much internal dialog wish it would have focused on external dialog.  Overall very readable page turner on some parts.  Good not great.

39. Dare, Truth, or Promise by Paula Boock

This book was well written.  The story enduring, compelling, and sweet.  The love between Louie and Willa is well developed.  It doesn't take the same road as other books in this genre.  I like that it has more external conflicts then internal. Even though the characters struggle internally it doesn't get overwhelming.  The ending was okay I think it took the easy way out with having an accident bring them back together but it was alright.

38. Have you seen Marie? by Sandra Cisneros

Death and loss.  The pain of moving on from a devastating loss finding comfort in helping a friend find something she has lost.  A very moving concept.  I loved the pictures in the book.  They are simple and complex portraits.  Very beautiful.  Quote: You don't get over death you just learn to travel alongside it.

37. Fierce Overture by Gun Brooke

Fierce Overture is the story of Noelle and Helena as they both go on the road of self discovery that leads them back to each other.  The story is a page turner.  The author keeps you interested even though it has several weakness.  The misunderstanding plot line has been overused as it is overused in this story.   But the plot weakness doesn't make the reader want to stop reading.  Overall, okay but far from great.  It is what it is.

36. From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun by Jacqueline Woodson

 

Fourteen-year-old Melanin Sun just found out his mother is in love with a white women.  He's emotions are mixed.  He doesn't want his mother to be "queer."  Melanin starts to question everything his relationship with his mother, friends, and girls.  He expresses himself by writing in his notebook.
Write the names of the most important characters in the story:  Melanin Sun, EC, Raphael, Sean, Angie, and Kristen.

Was the main character in the book good or bad? Defend your decision with 
examples from the book:  Melanin Sun is neither good or bad.  He loves his mother but treats her terrible when he finds out she loves Kristen.  He's young an acts immature when presented with the information about his mom.

The notebook and the miss amphibians are unnecessary but a guess it adds depth to the characters.

35. Free for All: oddballs, geeks, and gangstas in the Public Library

 An entertaining and familiar book for anyone who ever worked in a library.  It is can be a quiet and peaceful place but it also can be crazy at times.  Borchert breaks down the highs and lows of working at this great institution.  It is definitely not for everybody.  You have to be able to deal with unruly patrons and the small crisises that break out daily.  It's not about reading and book selection its more about conflict resolution.  So many positive and negative aspects on working in the public library.  As for me I love the times at night when it is quiet and calm.  The procedures get on my nerves alot. Constantly taking bullshit from patrons and being perpetually understaffed.  I want something I look forward to every morning not sure this is it.  This book put my career plight in perspective.  Although  I love the library I don't see it as a place I want to spend the rest of my life.  I want to volunteer at the library not work there.  This book cemented this opinion.  

34. Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self by Danielle Evans

 

Danielle Evans stories focus on young women and men trying to make their way in the world.  With Virgins she shows young women dealing with the sexuality and friendship.  It was good the end goes in all kind of directions though.  Snakes is about the things we do to get what we want.  I like how she presented the story made the protagonist seem untrustworthy.  Harvest is about being a mother and the different things we do to confront that responsibility.  Someone Ought to Tell Her There's Nowhere to Go is a sad story about the affects of war and wanting a family.  The King of a Vast Empire is a story about how families deal with the pain of the past.  Jellyfish is a touching story told for the viewpoint of a daughter and father.  Where You Go, There You Are is about love and being needed.  Robert E. Lee is Dead is a touching story about friendship and the distances created between friends going in different directions.  Overall very candid and touching stories.

33. Godless by Pete Hautman

This novel explores a teenager's questioning of religion.  Jason Bock is agnostic and thinks that religion is a waste of time.  So when he gets knocked out under a water tower he wonders half-jokingly what if god was a water tower.  Jason decides to create his own religion with the ten-legged water tower as god.  He enlists his friends and an enemy to assist in the new religion.  The new religion quickly spins out of control when his friend, Shin, starts taking the religion serious.  Good novel about the questioning of religion.  Easy read.    

32. Touchy Subjects by Emma Donoghue

Great collection of short stories about subjects that are taboo or difficult to talk about.  My favorite stories in the collection were Pluck, Oops, and Team Men.  Donoghue is a good author and delves into the inner conflicts of her characters well.  Each story was engaging and kept me interested.  Pluck deals with how we fight with or conscious constantly when trying to avoid an uncomfortable conversation.  When nine times out of ten it not that big a deal.  Oops is a funny tale about perceived guilt taken to an extreme level.  Team Men is about self-discovery and inner conflict.