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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

RTW: Best Book of December

Reading Song of the Day: "Tell Me Something Good" by Rufus/ Chaka Khan

Hey, strangers! YA Highway wants us to choose the best book we read this month. It's always so hard to pick, but alas we know you all rely on us to give you the next shiny new book for your "To Be Read" pile, so here it goes!

Quita's Pick:

This month has been goooood for my reading! I read 5 books and am almost done with another one! That's what happens when you don't have to go to work for two weeks I guess :) Anyway, it was a tough decision this month but I whittled it down to two: Stolen by Lucy Christopher or The New Rules of High School by Blake Nelson. I am a total fan girl over Blake Nelson, and Stolen has gotten plenty of love before, so I'm gonna go with:

The New Rules of High School by Blake Nelson


Here is a quick snippet of what Goodreads.com had to say:

Max Caldwell is tired. He's tired of having a "perfect" girlfriend, he's tired of worrying about college applications, and he's tired of always doing what he's supposed to do. So for the first time, dependable, reliable Max steps back from his Mr. Perfect, straight-A life to see what happens when he lets go for a while.

Intrigued? You should be! The New Rules is just about normal high school shenanigans. There is no actiony, plot-twisty, overarching plot lines. Nelson has a way of writing that makes you want to keep turning the page and laugh out loud at how real his teenage voice is. At one point Max says "I look at my shoe and I think. You're my right shoe." (paraphrased but still cool as hell!) Okay, I'll stop raving now. On to Pam!

Pam's Pick:

Like Quita, I was able to read A LOT this past month--and all of them were GREAT. In a month where I read Mockingjay, Catcher in the Rye, and City of Bones, how could one choose which was the best (BTW, I'm absolutely IN LOVE with Cassandra Clare now. Where have I been?)?
So, I've done the unthinkable this month--I chose a book that wasn't YA (gasp!). I had to go with this gem:
That's right, Emma Donoghue's Room is a contemporary masterpiece. Here's a small excerpt from Goodreads:

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.

Room is definitely one of those books that makes you slap your forehead and ask: why didn't I think of that? It's told through the POV of 5 year-old Jack, and I'm telling you readers, you are going to fall in love with him. He's so cute and innocent and smart all rolled up into one. This book made me feel anxious, claustrophobic, thankful, and sad at different points. It stayed with me long after I read it--in fact, I'm making Quita read it now.

So do you all have any great books you want to share?

6 comments:

Alicia Gregoire said...

The New Rules of High School is getting slapped on my TBR list right now. Room sounds interesting, but also sounds like one of those books that will leave me in a pile of issues for days.

KatOwens: Insect Collector said...

both on my list now!!! thanks

Unknown said...

Ok, Pam, if you picked ROOM over MOCKINGJAY then I definately need to read it.

Anonymous said...

Room is already on my wish list and I'll look up Blake Nelson.

Happy New Year.

Amie Kaufman said...

Wow, both on my list, they sound amazing. Thanks so much for the recommendation!

Racquel Henry said...

This month was crazy for me so I only got to read one book, which was Call Me Mrs Miracle by Debbie MaComber. I DEFINITELY want to read Room since I've only been hearing good things about it. :)