Monday, April 13, 2009

The List. Read-a-thon Possibilities.


I've spent days trying to narrow down hundreds of books to a potential ten. I know ten is still five or six too many--at least. But I have trouble saying no and putting things back. (Ask anyone!)

A. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly (May 2009) (338 pages)
B The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum (May 2009) (398 pages)
C Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti (May 2009) (317 pages)
D Say the Word by Jeannine Garsee (March 2009) (360 pages)
E Willow by Julia Hoban (April 2009) (342 pages)
F Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner (January 2009) (247 pages)
G Bird by Rita Murphy (October 2008) (150 pages)
H The Season by Sarah MacLean (March 2009) (336 pages)
I Dead Is A State of Mind by Marlene Perez (January 2009) (175 pages)
J Slob by Ellen Potter (May 2009) (208 pages)

A. By 1899, we had learned to tame the darkness but not the Texas heat.
B. It is the counting that saves him.
C. The best thing about summer camp is the last day.
D. When the phone slashes a machete through my brain at six fifteen a.m. it can only mean one of two things: Dad somehow found out I was sucking face with Devon Connolly last night. Or somebody's dead.
E. Maybe it's just a scratch.
F. I had a sister once.
G. Wysteria did not care where I had come from or where I had been.
H. Oof! I've been stabbed!
I. I was running late.
J. My name is Owen Birnbaum, and I'm probably fatter than you are.

So what say you? Do any of these covers speak to you? How about first lines? Which books do you want to hear more about? Which book would you start with...if you were me?

Until I looked up the page numbers, I could have sworn that I was picking short books. They didn't *feel* heavy. I've often found--though--that length is a state of mind. A book that you love can fly by quickly. And a book that you're not feeling--even if it's only 120 pages--can be so burdensome and weary that you feel like time has stood still.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
If you're reading this post on another site, or another feed, the content has been stolen.

12 comments:

Janssen said...

Those are some GREAT choices.

I know just what you mean about page numbers not meaning as much as the content.

Debi said...

Ooooh...I love covers A and G...and first lines A, B, F, and G!

But Becky, darling, are you sure that pile is big enough? Seriously girl, you are one of the most amazingly fly-through-a-book-in-no-time people I've ever known! You better add a few more...just in case. ;)

Ana S. said...

wow! You have a way of making me want a book RIGHT NOW by posting the cover alone. Add first lines to the bargain and I'm done for :P Definitely A) and G).

Vasilly said...

I have Bird on my read-a-thon pile, so I say start that one first. I would like to know more about The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. The first sentence is a good one.

chrisa511 said...

Oh Lord Becky! You are going to murder my wishlist with this read-a-thon :p

Anonymous said...

H perhaps? Not so much because of the cover or the first line precisely - but just because I like a bit of Regency... L.

Erika Powell said...

I vote for these three because they are the ones I want to read the most
C Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti (May 2009) (317 pages)
D Say the Word by Jeannine Garsee (March 2009) (360 pages)
E Willow by Julia Hoban (April 2009) (342 pages)

Scoops Mangum said...

I'm biased, because my wife wrote "The Hourglass Door". :) so I would love to know what you think in a review.

DesLily said...

can't wait to hear about Bones of Fairie and Bird. I absolutely love the cover of Bird! lol

Anonymous said...

B, D, and J hit me just by reading the first line. I never looked at the covers =) You have a lot of great choices for this!!

Samantha said...

The cover of H looks great, and the first line is interesting too. Can't wait to see the review of that one!

See you at the read-a-thon!

Michelle Fluttering Butterflies said...

I've heard so many great things about Willow!