Hi everyone! Welcome to my bookshelf this week! Here's what I've been reading.
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
For any dog lovers out there who currently do not have a dog, this is not the book for you...but only because it'll make you want a dog really bad. And for those lucky bums of you who already have a dog, well, reading this might make you wish you had a different dog. In short, I loved this book. Author Garth Stein tells a story of grief and loyalty, love and persistance in this creative novel, and he tells the whole thing through the voice of a dog--an intelligent, well mannered pup who insists that the key to dogs remaining subordinate to humans is their lack of opposable thumbs. It's sad, it's frustrating, but it's also lovely. I would definitely recommend this book. Messenger by Lois Lowry
Most people in my generation grew up reading books by Lois Lowry. In my family, her WWII novel Number the Stars was a favorite. If you aren't familiar with that book, you may be familiar with her novel The Giver. The Giver is a popular classroom book telling the story of a young boy growing up in a society bereft of emotion, differences and even color. He eventually learns disturbing secrets about his community, and flees, but whether he survives or not is very ambiguous. I read this book in fourth grade, and it's taken me 15 years to discover that Lois Lowry actually wrote a pseudo series of two books based on The Giver--this series includes Gathering of Blue and one of the books on my shelf this week, Messenger. The books are not necessarily a series, but definitely make more sense when they're read together as their location and characters overlap. Each book raises a lot of questions about how societies work, indiviualism, and morality, which is why they are perfect for a fourth grade classroom. But they're just mature enough that they make compelling reads for adults as well. So if you feel like some quick, thought provoking books, these three are great choices. I love books about the supernatural--vampires (yes, I loved Twilight) werewolves, witches, wizards, I love it all. And fortunately for me, supernatural books are definitely in vogue for YA literature. These next two books fall within that category, and they have the same sort of underlying romance as the Twilight books--girl meets boy, falls in loved, discovers that the supernatural is a reality and that her newfound love could be life threatening. Now, I know that whole storyline can get a little bit redundant, but I still always enjoy seeing how the authors pull it off. So these are two of my bookshelf reads this week:
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
This is a sweet, supernatural story set in Southern USA, a mix of fantasy and the south. The lovely and unique thing about this book is that the main character is actually...a boy! Yes, this is a boy meets girl story, and for once, the boy is more vulnerable than the girl. Sort of. In this book set in a small southern town still clinging to its Civil War roots, things start to get interesting for main character Ethan Wate when a new girl shows up. And she's not just any new girl--she's the niece of the town's mysterious recluse. Ethan finds himself falling for the new girl, and soon discovers that his world is a much more complex and dangerous place than it seems. Oh, and best of all (to me), it's part of a series! I can't wait to read the next one, Beautiful Darkness. 
This book is a fun, modern day twist on the classic story of Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde. After her father is mysteriously murdered, main character Jill Jekel finds her entire world turned upside down. And the mysterious, aloof Tristen Hyde, who is smart, intelligent, and truly understands her situation, only complicates matters. When brainiac Jill is invited to take part in a chemistry scholarship competition, she first decides it's not worth it. But when she learns that, before his death, her father spent her entire college fund, she finds herself desperately teaming up with Tristen Hyde in an experiment that soon becomes much bigger than just school. An interesting book that follows the classic battle between the good and evil impulses within, as present in the original Jekel and Hyde, this book is cute and creative, an appropriately spooky read for the Halloween season.
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