Where Do You Find Good Books to Read?

I find good books to read in a variety of places.

At the library, I always check out the "new books" shelf and I usually find one or two that catch my interest.

Recommendations from other bloggers (and my writing buddies) is another one of the main ways I find books to read. Reading blogs keeps me informed about new books that are coming out.

I keep a list of books that sound interesting in the back of my writing notebook. Every once in a while, I check the library to see if any are available, or I keep my eye out for them when I'm visiting bookstores. I also am a big user of the "hold" feature at my library. If I search the library catalogue online for a book I'm looking for and find it, I put it on hold so all I need to do is go in and pick it up. Did I mention that I live close to at least one branch of the public library?

I don't buy most of the books I read because the bookshelves in my house are already full. (Here's where an e-reader can come in handy.) If I read a really great story from the library, then sometimes I'll buy it so I can read it or study it some more. Or if I've read one book in a trilogy, I sometimes purchase the second one right away because I can't wait to read it! [Recent example: Insurgent by Veronica Roth.]

Where do you find good books to read?

Good Friday Reads

If you're heading into a long weekend like I am (Easter, anyone?) then you might have a little more time for reading. Some great books I've read lately that take me to a different world:

Across the Universe by Beth Revis. I read all the hype and promos and wow! Were they right! A great story that pulled me into a different time and place. I loved the world building.

Dark Life by Kat Falls. I liked the action and adventure in this book (definitely a fast-paced story) but it was the setting that really intrigued me. The details of living in an underwater city were interesting. So much that I wished there were a few more about how it all worked. But I have a feeling there are more books to come.

Scumble by Ingrid Law. This struck me as such a good example of what I love about middle grade books. A bit of magic, a bit of mystery, a kid with unusual talents. I actually didn't like Ingrid Law's Savvy that much, even though it got great reviews, but I really enjoyed this one! [Maybe I'll have to read Savvy again.]

By the way, I read these the old-fashioned way, on paper. I'm not sure which is better for the earth, paper or digital? Anyone know? 

Happy Earth Day and Happy Easter, if you're celebrating.

Reading Middle Grade: Two Great Examples

Last year, I noticed that my 100 book challenge was weighted more towards YA than MG, even though I write MG. So this year, I'm making more of an effort to read middle grade books. And I love it. (I also think it's helping me strengthen my writing, but that's a topic for another post).  I recently read two books that strike me as really great examples of MG.

Drizzle by Kathleen Van Cleve delighted me from the beginning. What kid wouldn't love to live on a farm with jewels in the garden, talking bugs and a treehouse-like room? Eleven-year-old Polly is friends with a plant and has a mystery to solve about her family farm. This is truly a story for children, not a teenaged story masquerading as one for kids. I'd describe it as magical (and not just because there is magic in the story).

Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs hooked me and I just had to keep reading. Again, it seemed like a kid's dream come true. Who wouldn't want to live at a zoo adventure park? Having a hippo at the centre of a mystery was unique. I also loved the fact that the main character's parents were in the story and actually part of solving the mystery at times, instead of too busy to notice what their son was up to (or dead).

Reading these books made me think about:

1)  how the setting can really become part of the story and help to bring it alive

2) the importance of having a really good story

Of course, good writing is important, but it was really the story that first captured my attention for both of these books. The authors made me curious about what would happen in the story, and what life was like for characters living in these settings.

Book Challenge Benefits

In 2010, I challenged myself to read 100 middle grade and YA books and I did it – yay! Why do such a crazy thing? It was one way I'd be sure to read the kinds of books that I’m writing. I also I wanted to become familiar with more children’s authors and publishers, and hopefully learn something. So what did I learn?

1. It helped me remember more about the books I read. My list and occasional blog posts about the books led me to think more about what I was reading.

2. I developed a stronger sense of what I like to read—and the kind of book I want to write. The way I want it to sound. The kinds of characters and story I want to create. Even though I knew I had to read enough books to reach my goal, I wasn’t afraid to stop reading a book if I really didn’t like it. I didn’t include them on my list, but there were probably about 5 or 6 books I just gave up on.

3. Paying attention to publishers, editors and agents through books was a good start to immersing myself a little deeper in the publishing community.

4. Keeping track helped me see that even though I write MG, I often choose YA books to read. I had to focus more on MG books to keep it balanced. Maybe one day I’ll switch to writing YA?

5. I read some books I might otherwise have skipped over and actually enjoyed them.

I plan to start another book challenge for myself for 2011. I'll be sticking with the same goal of 100 MG and YA books. It seems like a good number for me, since I finished a couple of weeks before the end of the year.

How much reading do you do in the genre you are writing? How does it benefit your writing?

When a Book Takes Over

I don't know if you've ever felt this way, but sometimes, after I've read a book (or watched a really good movie),  it just fills up my mind. I don't want to let anything else in to take its place for a while. Not another book. Not a T.V. show. It's just my thoughts about the book and me. I want to savour the thoughts and feelings that rise up when reading a really great book.

My most recent read The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness was like that for me. I didn't like it at first, but I'd read the first book in the trilogy, The Knife of Never Letting Go, and I was hooked on the characters. So I carried on with it. Wow - did it get me. It stirred up so many emotions and made me think. Even when I wasn't liking it, I couldn't put it down.

Escaping My Real Life

You know when you have one of those days where, by the end of it, all you want to do is curl up with a good book? Yesterday was one of those days for me, and why I didn't post on Wednesday the way I usually do. It was one thing after another that didn't go quite right. So I came home, put my feet up, watched an episode of Mad Men with my husband, and later, (ignoring the giant pile of dishes in the kitchen), pulled out a book.

In no time, I was in another place. Thinking about the character's problems (which are probably going to be solved by the end of the story). Enjoying the experience of the story unfolding.

That's what I love about books.

Catching Up on Writing and Reading

I'm slowly emerging from summer fun mode and getting back to a routine, including writing, critiquing, and blogging. Sometimes I worry that taking a break from it will take my mind too far away and I'll lose some of my "writing magic". Never happens. Even though it make take a day or two to get back into it, writing is a big part of who I am, and it always comes back.

During my break, I did some serious thinking about "behind the scenes" elements of my latest novel. Thinking that I wouldn't have been doing if I'd just kept on with my writing schedule. My notebook is full of questions and scribbled comments on topics ranging from the politics of the place where my characters live to small details about my character's personalities. It's made me more excited than ever about my novel revisions, even though I have a lot of sorting out to do!

The one thing I didn't make much progress on was my 100 book challenge, though I did read Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins this week. I'll need to read it again to absorb it properly. Because I was looking forward to it all summer, there were some elements I found disappointing. But I think that when you're hyped up about reading something, there's often a bit of let down. I felt the same way about This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer, but after I re-read it, I appreciated it more. Mockingjay contained surprises, good writing, and interesting new characters. It definitely needs a second read that isn't coloured by my expectations.

What's Your Reading Style?

I’m normally a pretty fast reader. I gobble up books like some people go for chocolate or ice cream. I definitely don’t read every word. However, I slow down if a story really catches my interest, or if I really love the writing style or characters and I don’t want the book to end (e.g. most Jodi Picoult novels). Sometimes, I intentionally skim sections of a book that don’t catch my attention, because I just want to find out what happens. What I might skip over:

1) Backstory that doesn’t seem relevant to what’s happening
2) Sections following a subplot that doesn’t interest me
3) Long descriptions that (I think) get in the way of the story
4) Too much detail in explaining what a character is thinking

My reading style has an impact on my writing. When I write, I try to include only what’s relevant for the character’s situation at the moment. I tend not to use much description – I'll often have to go back and add some to create a more well-rounded picture. Does your reading style affect your writing?

The Dead and the Gone

#48. The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

I’ve waited a long time to read this YA novel. When I finally got the chance, I read it straight through, barely stopping to engage in my “real life”. I found it just as compelling as Life As We Knew It, which told of different characters experiencing the same life-changing event. For me, The Dead and the Gone was more gruesome and horrifying in some respects, but equally absorbing. I love Pfeffer’s writing style – straightforward, with every scene moving the story along, and very few adjectives or adverbs. Details are carefully chosen and mostly conveyed through actions.

#49. The Real Real by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Though I don’t often like “average girl turns popular and gets the boy” stories, the reality TV setting made this one a little different. The writing was jumpy and hard to follow at times, but I liked the details and got hooked into the story.

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

#30. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

I can see why this novel was a Newberry Honor Book. I haven't read many historical novels for MG readers, but this one created a complete picture of life in 1899 as a backdrop for Callie Vee's story of finding out what she wants out of life (and standing up for it). I loved the way Callie's relationship with her grandfather developed through their love of science. I loved the attention to detail in this book, and the way the words flowed easily across the page.

Although I got my copy from the public library, this is a book I'll consider adding to my personal bookshelf.  I think there is a lot to be learned from it about writing dialogue without drawing attention to dialogue tags and building character through the use of specific details. I'll be reading this book again, because it is so rich it's impossible to absorb it all the first time.

More on Different Viewpoints

 23. Eggs by Jerry Spinelli

What a great story of friendship between two unlikely characters - a 9-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl! I can see this book appealing to both boys and girls. It was interesting to see how Spinelli handled the different points of view of the two kids. In some novels with different viewpoints, the POVs are quite distinct in terms of voice. I didn't find that so much here, but changes were clear. In a few places, the story was told from an adult perspective, which I found a bit jarring. I enjoyed the vivid visual images in this novel.

Revision update: I didn't reach my goal of finishing draft #2 of my work-in-progress by the end of February. But I will definitely finish this week. I made it to Chapter 17 of about 20 chapters. One of the things I will need to do in my next revision is to think about how to make the viewpoints in my own story emerge more naturally.

Sorting Out Tangles or Stuck on Knots?

16. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

17. Leap Day by Wendy Mass

18. The Mealworm Diaries by Anna Kerz

When I read a good book, the story flows seamlessly, without any hint of whether the writer struggled, as I often do, with how much to put into the story. If I start off with a simple idea, it doesn't seem like enough to sustain a whole story. But if I try to put in a couple more ideas or another level of depth, especially at the beginning, the story quickly grows into a challenging mess of loose ends and tangled threads. In Leap Day, these other threads were expanded on in chapters between the main POV of the reader, telling bits of what happened from the points of view of other characters. An interesting approach.

In my current work-in-progress, I have more characters than I usually do, and that adds complexity during the writing process. Part of my excitement with writing is sorting out the tangled threads and figuring out how to make them all fit together into something smooth and interesting. But when you're right in the middle, it sometimes seems that all you have is knots.

Loved This Book!

15. Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

Wow - this is a book that really stands out in a crowd. Exactly the kind of story I like to read, with a little thinking required, written without any excess words and a good sense of humor.

Paying attention to what I read is making me more aware of themes that resonate with me, as well as the styles of writing that I prefer. I'm a bit of a "no nonsense" reader, and I don't like to read a lot of excess description. I suppose that's one of the reasons why I enjoy reading MG and YA books.

More Great Reading

13. The Revealers by Doug Wilhelm

14. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Both of these books tackle pretty serious topics. The Revealers was clever; a book I didn't like much at the beginning, but it developed into an interesting story. It includes technology though, and I wonder what middle grade readers think of it, since it was published in 2003, before the huge popularity of Facebook, etc. 

Where do you hear about great books? I find out about many of them at my local library, where one of the librarians writes short recommendations and clips them onto the covers of the books. I also find books through my writing group, blog mentions and newspaper/media reviews.

Moral Dilemmas and Romance

11. Graceling by Kristi Cashore

When I started reading this book, I didn't think I would finish it. Although the idea of a special killing ability was intriguing, I felt like a foreigner in a territory where I didn't belong. The fantasy world was complex. There seemed to be so many characters. But my local librarian had assured me this was a great book, so I persevered. Was I glad I did! By the time I got towards the middle, I just didn't want to put it down. You have to admire a writer who can so completely create a different world, down to the smallest of details. And I loved the moral dilemmas that the main character, Katsa, had to face because of her ability and her feelings for Prince Po.

When I read great books like this, I sometimes wonder if my own writing will ever reach a point where the reader will escape into it so completely. I think that's my ultimate goal as a writer.

Alternative Realities

Found this on Betsy Lerner’s blog:

I want to understand how it is that being by myself with my keyboard is when I feel least alone. Not connected to others, per se. I’ve never understood writers who say they write to help other people. I write to hurt them. Just kidding, sort of. I write to feel normal.

I don’t know about feeling normal – what is normal, anyway? But writing does take me to another place and, if a writing session is very intense, it’s sometimes hard to leave it and come back to reality. I think all forms of art do that – my Mom is a visual artist and she experiences the same thing. It’s quite a different space from the “real world”.

When I finish a writing session, it can take time to turn down my writing mode and let everyday things fill my brain again. It's the same thing when I read a great book. I'm there, in that other world. But then, it’s a matter of balance. The real world is pretty great too.

Ten!

Books 9 and 10 were totally different, except that in both cases, the main characters have to move, which changes their lives.

9. Also Known as Harper by Ann Haywood Leal

10. The Year My Sister Got Lucky by Aimee Friedman

I enjoyed thinking about how the relationship between the sisters changed in The Year My Sister Got Lucky. I don't have a sister myself, so I think I'm often drawn to books about sisters. This book was full of great details and captured the complexity of the relationship without being too heavy.

Every Soul a Star

8. Every Soul A Star by Wendy Mass

The title of this book by Wendy Mass is fantastic - it speaks to me about the uniqueness of individuals and how everyone has something they are good at. I really enjoyed this book and will someday love to read it again, because there were so many layers in it.

Since my own work-in-progress has alternating points of view, I was interested in how she moved the story forward through the perspectives of three different characters. Sometimes, the reader sees the same situation from the perspectives of different characters, which I thought was really cool. And I loved the characters' different interests and personalities. The only thing that bugged me about this story was that the parents seemed insensitive to the needs of their kids at the beginning (possibly a plot device?) but that's probably just coming from me being a parent, and might not bother younger readers.

Next on the List

The latest books I've finished reading are:

5. The Year the Swallows Came Early by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

I enjoyed this MG book about a girl coming to terms with her Dad being in jail, plus I loved the elements of cooking woven into the story. Someday, I want to write a story that includes food and cooking as a main element, so I'm always attracted to books that do.

6. Ringmaster by Julia Golding

Lots of action. I will definitely put the next Darcie Lock book on my to-be-read list.

7. Before I Die by Jenny Downham

Thanks to Angela Cerrito for alerting me to this novel when I won it on her blog. I've read other books about kids dying of cancer -- Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper, Amy Goldman Koss's Side Effects (really loved this one) and Going for the Record by Julie A. Swanson. Before I Die is more raw. It's emotionally wrenching. This was one to read straight through.

100 Children's Books in 2010

I’ve decided to read 100 children’s books in 2010. I use the term children’s books, though I'm going to be reading young adult novels as well as middle grade novels. A few picture books or chapter books may sneak in too. My plan is to read only books I haven’t read before. Don't expect reviews or a lot of plot details. I'm a writer, not a book reviewer.

Since I made this decision halfway through the month of January, I’m already behind! On average, I need to read 8 1/3 books each month.

In the first weeks of January, I’ve read these books:

1. If You Live Like Me by Lori Weber

2. I Know It’s Over by C.K. Kelly Martin

3. Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix

4. First Light by Rebecca Stead

These novels are very different but I enjoyed all four of them. First Light reminded me a little of City of Ember and confused me at first with the changes in point of view, but turned out to be very absorbing.