I have finished with both books! Yay for me!
I've reviewed Book 5, The Diviners, quite a bit, so I'll just reflect a brief moment. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Again--NOT FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS! I've already looked into it and the second book, Lair of Dreams, hits shelves August 25th. I will definitely be grabbing this one because I hope to learn more about the rest of the Diviners from the first book. The focus was so much on Evie O'Neill that the others still have a lot to share with the readers. There were several characters that I wanted to know more about, so I hope that they continue to be present in the second book.
Book 6: The Raven Boys
As I mentioned before, I was having a difficult time getting into this book. I'm glad I held on and kept reading because I easily found my stride about a third of the way into the novel. I couldn't stop reading the rest of the book and finished it quickly. Thankfully, I already have the second book checked out, but I promised to read something other than fantasy next!
Ultimately, I finally connected with a few of the main characters. It was easy to find myself caring about their lives and their past. Adam, Gansey, Noah, Ronan, and Blue are all extremely different from one another, but they make sense as a group. They play off of each others' traits, meshing together and creating a reason for their existence.
The magic that is the ley line works for this type of story. The hunt for Glendower is ever present. The energy of Henrietta flows through all of the characters in some way. There are many elements of the plot that combine into the final scenes of the novel. Even so, I still have questions! Which is why I have to read the rest of the series.
That tends to be a good sign for a book...when you want more...and I want more of this series!
Monday, July 27, 2015
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Book (audio) 5: The Diviners continued and Book 6: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Wow...this book on tape is a long one! I believe it is hanging around the 18 hour mark, which is a lot of time in the car. I even drove to NC and back and I still haven't finished.
To begin, I need to reiterate that I would not recommend this book for anything lower than upper high school. As the book continues, it is delving deeper into dark topics that I'm fairly certain the majority of middle schoolers are not ready for. I do believe that there are very advanced readers out there, so just make sure you have the understanding that there are elements in this book that are nefarious and difficult to stomach.
Even so, I'm still very much in love with the characters and the setting. As the book continues, many of the characters have been developed effectively. Even though I only have a few discs left for the book, there are still several secrets floating in the air. The concept of the diviners hasn't been entirely flushed out and the young men and women that are being revealed as diviners haven't been dumped out of thin air. We're learning about them and their pasts, discovering what has led to their special affinities for magic. This book is so well written and I'm excited to pick up more novels by Libba Bray.
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Since the other book is on audio, I am also reading The Raven Boys in book form. This way, I can still be reading if I have time outside of the car! I know this can be a tricky move, but as long as you take a moment to reflect back over what you have read recently, you'll stay on track.
This book was recommended to me by our librarian, Mrs. Bryden-Miller. I have actually read several Maggie Stiefvater books and know that I enjoy her writing style. In fact, Scorpio Races is on my list of favorite books.
This book also involves a bit of magic. I promise, the next book I select will NOT be a fantasy type book. I actually agree that I need a bit of a break from the genre because even I'm starting to lose steam on reading the book.
I'm not sure if that says a lot about the book itself or about my time right now, but I really am not connected to this story. I don't have that tug I normally do to pick it up and read as soon as I have the chance. I think the book has promise, but I haven't found a character I really want to know yet. The psychic component is also a miss for me, but I can tell it will be crucial to the formulation of the story. I know it's a great book--after all--it has 4 stars with 74,000 reviews on goodreads...impressive.
On that note, I don't want to delve too much into my opinions/thoughts on the book. We'll come back to it later!
To begin, I need to reiterate that I would not recommend this book for anything lower than upper high school. As the book continues, it is delving deeper into dark topics that I'm fairly certain the majority of middle schoolers are not ready for. I do believe that there are very advanced readers out there, so just make sure you have the understanding that there are elements in this book that are nefarious and difficult to stomach.
Even so, I'm still very much in love with the characters and the setting. As the book continues, many of the characters have been developed effectively. Even though I only have a few discs left for the book, there are still several secrets floating in the air. The concept of the diviners hasn't been entirely flushed out and the young men and women that are being revealed as diviners haven't been dumped out of thin air. We're learning about them and their pasts, discovering what has led to their special affinities for magic. This book is so well written and I'm excited to pick up more novels by Libba Bray.
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Since the other book is on audio, I am also reading The Raven Boys in book form. This way, I can still be reading if I have time outside of the car! I know this can be a tricky move, but as long as you take a moment to reflect back over what you have read recently, you'll stay on track.
This book was recommended to me by our librarian, Mrs. Bryden-Miller. I have actually read several Maggie Stiefvater books and know that I enjoy her writing style. In fact, Scorpio Races is on my list of favorite books.
This book also involves a bit of magic. I promise, the next book I select will NOT be a fantasy type book. I actually agree that I need a bit of a break from the genre because even I'm starting to lose steam on reading the book.
I'm not sure if that says a lot about the book itself or about my time right now, but I really am not connected to this story. I don't have that tug I normally do to pick it up and read as soon as I have the chance. I think the book has promise, but I haven't found a character I really want to know yet. The psychic component is also a miss for me, but I can tell it will be crucial to the formulation of the story. I know it's a great book--after all--it has 4 stars with 74,000 reviews on goodreads...impressive.
On that note, I don't want to delve too much into my opinions/thoughts on the book. We'll come back to it later!
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Book (audio) 5: The Diviners by Libba Bray
***In Progress***
Let's talk setting! This book is set in the early 1920's (awesome!) in New York City. The roaring 20's is a fascinating choice. Most YA books set in the past are either 1800's or during a War. There's something about the language usage, style, and people of this time period that is intriguing.
Another reason why I am really happy about this book and its setting is because I know that Mrs. Bray had to actually research in order to create a historically accurate 1926 NYC. This means that she likely poured over books, time period newspapers and magazines, and, of course, the internet. I'm betting she spoke with individuals who lived during the time period. However she came about her information, it wasn't discovered with ease, which I deeply appreciate.
The writing is imaginative and thorough. Even the moments that I really wish I didn't have to vividly picture, I am forced to because of the writing.
Now, this book is a murder mystery with a twisted and disturbing murderer. I personally, do not recommend that my middle schoolers pick it up. As I eluded, the murder scenes are descriptive and basically terrifying.
I also do not recommend this as an audio book. Libba Bray writes a story woven around several characters that interact throughout the novel. When I read a book of this nature, I will often go back to clarify a question I have about a previous story and then flip back to my current place. With an audio book, this becomes extremely difficult and bothersome. I find myself worrying that I am missing a key element, especially when deciphering the murderer's "motives".
After reading my previous post you know that I love magic! This book has it! I will save that for discussion when I reach the book's conclusion.
Let's talk setting! This book is set in the early 1920's (awesome!) in New York City. The roaring 20's is a fascinating choice. Most YA books set in the past are either 1800's or during a War. There's something about the language usage, style, and people of this time period that is intriguing.
Another reason why I am really happy about this book and its setting is because I know that Mrs. Bray had to actually research in order to create a historically accurate 1926 NYC. This means that she likely poured over books, time period newspapers and magazines, and, of course, the internet. I'm betting she spoke with individuals who lived during the time period. However she came about her information, it wasn't discovered with ease, which I deeply appreciate.
The writing is imaginative and thorough. Even the moments that I really wish I didn't have to vividly picture, I am forced to because of the writing.
Now, this book is a murder mystery with a twisted and disturbing murderer. I personally, do not recommend that my middle schoolers pick it up. As I eluded, the murder scenes are descriptive and basically terrifying.
I also do not recommend this as an audio book. Libba Bray writes a story woven around several characters that interact throughout the novel. When I read a book of this nature, I will often go back to clarify a question I have about a previous story and then flip back to my current place. With an audio book, this becomes extremely difficult and bothersome. I find myself worrying that I am missing a key element, especially when deciphering the murderer's "motives".
After reading my previous post you know that I love magic! This book has it! I will save that for discussion when I reach the book's conclusion.
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Book (audio) 4: Magisterium by Jeff Hirsch
I wanted to like this book--a blend of Sci Fi and Fantasy--perfect for this teacher! Earlier this year I read the Under the Never Sky series by Veronica Rossi and it has elements similar to what was described in this book.
Sadly, I was not impressed. I did listen to this as an audio book, so I wonder if I would feel differently if I read it myself. It was hard for me to remain in the story and I was often bored. If I had read it myself, I would have likely skimmed much of the story and finished it quickly. There were so many points of disconnect that I struggled with the story line itself. Without giving anything away, Glenn, our main character, is just not believable. She is able to achieve moments that do not make sense for the character depicted from the beginning.
The positives:
Sadly, I was not impressed. I did listen to this as an audio book, so I wonder if I would feel differently if I read it myself. It was hard for me to remain in the story and I was often bored. If I had read it myself, I would have likely skimmed much of the story and finished it quickly. There were so many points of disconnect that I struggled with the story line itself. Without giving anything away, Glenn, our main character, is just not believable. She is able to achieve moments that do not make sense for the character depicted from the beginning.
The positives:
- The two different "sides" of her planet (Colloquium and Magisterium) are enticing and crafted well. I found myself pulled into the Magisterium, enjoying the space that was almost Colonial in nature. The Colloquium was not developed as much in the writing, but the idea of two entirely different worlds existing on one planet is one that I stand behind (similar to Under the Never Sky).
- I like magic in stories. Who doesn't? I want to believe that magic exists and that the wizarding world of Harry Potter is hidden just out of sight. So, magic is a plus.
- The writing had moments of beauty. There were several points in the story where the author successfully created the mood that he intended.
The negatives:
This list has the potential to get pretty ugly, so I'll only write as many negative points as I did positive. That means three.
- Glenn and Kevin--our main characters. I did not like them. Glenn makes idiotic choice after idiotic choice. For someone who is supposedly an intelligent young woman, on the verge of excelling beyond many her age, she seems almost moronic in her naivete. Kevin is at most, a shallow inconvenience. Sure, it's clear he likes Glenn, but he is annoying and frustrating. He's also completely full of himself and thinks that he can lie, etc. to get his way.
- The holes in this story line are too much for me. It's one thing to get sidetracked and leave something out here and there, but this book is so full of lackluster attempts. It's as if he wrote everything he thought the first time and didn't think to go back and put in any sort of explanation--especially surrounding Glenn.
- The magic. Yes, it is a positive (I love magic!), but Mr. Hirsch uses it to explain so many pieces of the plot (reference point above) that it becomes tedious.
I haven't read The Eleventh Plague and it is on my to read list so I hope it sits with me easier. I really do think that this is a really interesting concept for a plot, but I think it wasn't nurtured as much as I would have liked.
Monday, July 6, 2015
Writing Project Presentation
Today was my turn to present at the Shenandoah Valley Writing Project. The directions were simple: choose a topic to present that revolved around the teaching of writing or the use of writing to learn. It needed to be a 75 minute presentation that could easily be expanded into a 2-3 hour presentation for a workshop class.
I bounced around a lot of ideas with my group and mentor, eventually settling on digital collaboration (think Google Drive and Google Classroom). I chose this because I think it is a skill that many students aren't quite sure how to use, but also because many teachers aren't comfortable with letting students work digitally.
I created a presentation and presented it at ActivLoudoun...and hated it...
While I am a huge supporter of this and hope teachers take the steps forward to use technology for collaboration, I couldn't figure out how to elaborate int 2-3 hours. Honestly, it was the type of thing that I could write up some instructions and share it out. There really wouldn't be a need for expansion. There really wasn't even a need for a presentation!
So, I switched gears and listened to my students. At the end of the year I asked my students to complete several surveys regarding our class. There were two projects that came up repeatedly: NaNoWriMo and Genius Hour. I thought hard about which one would be the best for a 2-3 hour presentation and knew it was Genius Hour. This was a passion of mine that I knew created a giant shift in my classroom and the attitudes of my students. I wanted to share what they shared and convince other teachers to take a leap of faith with me and implement Genius Hour.
It went really well! There were a lot of questions and the teachers were receptive. I think my students would be happy to hear that their thoughts were heard and that other teachers are taking this into consideration for their classrooms.
If you feel like checking it out, the link for my presentation is below. Although it goes against my views on presenting in a Ted Talk fashion, professional development for teachers needs to have pieces they can return back to and work with later. Don't worry--I spent way more time sharing my experience than I did reading off the presentation!!
I bounced around a lot of ideas with my group and mentor, eventually settling on digital collaboration (think Google Drive and Google Classroom). I chose this because I think it is a skill that many students aren't quite sure how to use, but also because many teachers aren't comfortable with letting students work digitally.
I created a presentation and presented it at ActivLoudoun...and hated it...
While I am a huge supporter of this and hope teachers take the steps forward to use technology for collaboration, I couldn't figure out how to elaborate int 2-3 hours. Honestly, it was the type of thing that I could write up some instructions and share it out. There really wouldn't be a need for expansion. There really wasn't even a need for a presentation!
So, I switched gears and listened to my students. At the end of the year I asked my students to complete several surveys regarding our class. There were two projects that came up repeatedly: NaNoWriMo and Genius Hour. I thought hard about which one would be the best for a 2-3 hour presentation and knew it was Genius Hour. This was a passion of mine that I knew created a giant shift in my classroom and the attitudes of my students. I wanted to share what they shared and convince other teachers to take a leap of faith with me and implement Genius Hour.
It went really well! There were a lot of questions and the teachers were receptive. I think my students would be happy to hear that their thoughts were heard and that other teachers are taking this into consideration for their classrooms.
If you feel like checking it out, the link for my presentation is below. Although it goes against my views on presenting in a Ted Talk fashion, professional development for teachers needs to have pieces they can return back to and work with later. Don't worry--I spent way more time sharing my experience than I did reading off the presentation!!
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