Jen Robinson's Book Page

Reading More and Connecting More in 2021

New Year's Greetings to any of you who are still following my sorely neglected blog. December 17th marked the blog's 15th birthday. I had hopes of doing a post to celebrate that, but today will have to do. I am still here, and grateful for my years of blogging and reviewing books. Sadly, however, juggling work and family responsibilities in this pandemic year has caused blogging to fall off my plate. 

I popped in today to share two things: my "one word" for 2021 and my list of books read in 2020. 

Last year, my "one word" was LESS. I intended that to mean spending less time on things I wasn't enthusiastic about, and more time on things like reading. But, as with many people's plans in 2020, that is not how things turned out. I ended up with LESS reading and much less blogging time instead. 

I read 75 books in 2020 (see below), of which 41 were audiobooks. My normal pace, through 2018, was about 150 books a year. I slowed down some in 2019 (to 123) because I was reading a greater percentage of adult books. This year, though, I think the decline was more about 2020's challenges and my own inability to focus on reading. I also listened to quite a few podcasts, which cut down on my audiobook listening time. I hope to be able to read more in 2021, but there's no telling. I intend to accept that as it comes. 

2020 also ended up meaning LESS travel to see family, and LESS time with other people closer to home. A silver lining for me of the year was how very much I came to appreciate the people that we did see in person and the people that we connected with in other ways. One of my favorite reads of the year was Vivek Murthy's Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World. I closed out the year with Kate Murphy's You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters.

I've gone back and forth between choosing CONNECT and LISTEN for 2021's one word. Ultimately, I chose CONNECT. If there's one thing I learned this year it's how critically important genuine human connection is to well being. I think LISTEN is more of a skill to help me strengthen my connection to people, though it's one I intend to actively work on. But my real goal is nurturing stronger connections with the people who matter to me. What that's going to mean in terms of my blogging, I can't say. 

My wish for all of you is more human connection in 2021 AND more time for reading and listening and taking care of yourselves. Happy New Year! And thank you for listening. 

Jen's 2020 Reading List

Middle Grade Books

1. Janet Tashjian: My Life As A Gamer. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed January 9, 2020. Read aloud to my daughter from library copy.
2. Janet Tashjian: My Life As A Ninja. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed January 22, 2020. Read aloud to my daughter from library copy.
3. Janet Tashjian: My Life As A Youtuber. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed February 5, 2020. Read aloud to my daughter from library copy.
4. Janet Tashjian: My Life As A Meme. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed February 28, 2020. Read aloud to my daughter from library copy.
5. Kenneth Oppel: Bloom (The Overthrow, Book 1). Knopf Books for Young Readers. Middle Grade Speculative Fiction. Completed March 8, 2020. 
6. Julia Nobel: The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane Sourcebooks. Middle Grade Mystery. Completed March 21, 2020, on Kindle.
7. Chris Grabenstein: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. Random House. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed April 11, 2020. Read aloud to my daughter.
8. Amy McCulloch: Jinxed. Sourcebooks. Middle Grade Speculative Fiction. Completed May 9, 2020, on Kindle.
9. Janet Tashjian: My Life As A Coder. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed May 13, 2020. Read aloud to my daughter.
10. Lawrence Yep: The Earth Dragon Awakes. Harper Collins Children's Books. Middle Grade Historical Fiction. Completed May 14, 2020. Read aloud to my daughter for school.
11. Julia Nobel: The Secret of White Stone Gate. Sourcebooks. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed June 6, 2020, on Kindle.
12. Elizabeth Enright: Gone-Away Lake. HMH Books for Young Readers. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed June 8 2020, personal copy.
13. Elizabeth Enright: Return to Gone-Away. HMH Books for Young Readers. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed June 11, 2020, personal copy.
14. Kazu Kibuishi: Amulet (Book 1). Scholastic. Middle Grade Graphic Novel. Completed August 26, 2020, my daughter's personal copy.
15. Kazu Kibuishi: Amulet (Book 2). Scholastic. Middle Grade Graphic Novel. Completed August 30, 2020, my daughter's personal copy.
16. James Ponti: City Spies. Aladdin. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed September 18, 2020, my daughter's personal copy.
17. James Ponti: Framed. Aladdin. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed September 26, 2020, on Kindle.
18. James Ponti: Vanished (Book 2). Aladdin. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed September 27, 2020, on Kindle.
19. James Ponti: Trapped (Book 3). Aladdin. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed October 6, 2020, on Kindle.
20. Jennifer Chambliss Bertman: Book Scavenger. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed October 16, 2020, on Kindle.

Young Adult Books

1. Elizabeth Eulberg: Past Perfect Life. Bloomsbury YA. Young Adult Fiction. Completed January 7, 2020, personal copy.
2. David Yoon: Frankly in Love. G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. Young Adult Fiction. Completed January 16, 2020, on MP3.
3. Adriana Mather: Killing November. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Young Adult Mystery/Thriller. Completed February 7, 2020, on Kindle.
4. Maureen Johnson: The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious, Book 3). Katherine Tegen Books. Young Adult Mystery. Completed February 20, 2020, on Kindle.
5. Jennifer Lynn Barnes: Deadly Little Scandals (Debutantes, Book 2). Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Young Adult Mystery. Completed February 25, 2020, on Kindle.
6. Karen McManus: One of Us Is Next (sequel to One Of Us Is Lying). Delacorte Press. Young Adult Mystery. Completed March 5, 2020, on Kindle.
7. Rebecca Hanover: The Similars. Sourcebooks. Young Adult Speculative Fiction. Completed August 14, 2020.
8. Rebecca Hanover: The Pretenders (Similars 2). Sourcebooks. Young Adult Speculative Fiction. Completed September 5, 2020.
9. Jennifer Lynn Barnes: The Inheritance Games. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Young Adult Fiction. Completed September 10, 2020, on Kindle.
10. Adriana Mather: Hunting November. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Young Adult Fiction. Completed September 27, 2020, on Kindle.
11. John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle: Let It Snow. Young Adult Fiction. Speak. Completed December 20, 2020, on MP3.
12. Karen McManus: The Cousins. Delacorte Press. Young Adult Mystery. Completed December 21, 2020, on Kindle.

Adult Books

1. Eve Rodsky: Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live). G.P. Putnam's Sons. Adult Nonfiction. Completed January 3, 2020, on Kindle.
2. Janet Evanovich: Twisted Twenty-Six. G. P. Putnam's Sons. Adult Mystery. Completed January 3, 2020, on MP3.
3. BJ Fogg: Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Adult Nonfiction. Completed January 22, 2020, on Kindle.
4. Tom DeMarco + Tim Lister: Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams. Addison-Wesley. Adult Nonfiction. Completed January 25, 2020, personal copy.
5. Michael McGarrity: Tularosa (Kevin Kerney, No. 1). W. W. Norton & Company. Adult Mystery. Completed February 8, 2020, on MP3. The fact that this series uses the same narrator as the Walt Longmire books bothered me at first, but I soon got past that.
6. David L. Bahnsen: Elizabeth Warren: How Her Presidency Would Destroy the Middle Class and the American Dream. Post Hill Press. Adult Nonfiction. Completed February 13, 2020, on Kindle.
7. Taylor Stevens: Liar's Paradox (Jack and Jill, Book 1). Pinnacle. Adult Thriller. Completed February 15, 2020, on Kindle.
8. Michael McGarrity: Tularosa (Kevin Kerney, No. 2). W. W. Norton & Company. Adult Mystery. Completed March 1, 2020, on MP3.
9. Michael McGarrity: Serpent's Gate (Kevin Kerney, No. 3). W. W. Norton & Company. Adult Mystery. Completed March 9, 2020, on MP3.
10. Gytha Lodge: Watching from the Dark Random House. Adult Mystery. Completed March 14, 2020, on Kindle.
11. P.J. Tracy: The Guilty Dead. Penguin Random House. Adult Mystery. Completed April 11, 2020, on Kindle.
12. Suzanne Redfearn: In an Instant. Lake Union Publishing. Adult Fiction. Completed April 12, 2020, on Kindle and MP3.
13. Julia Spencer-Fleming: Hid from Our Eyes (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne). Minotaur Books. Adult Mystery. Completed April 19, 2020, on Kindle.s
14. P.J. Tracy: Ice Cold Heart. Crooked Lane Books. Adult Mystery. Completed May 2, 2020, on Kindle.
15. Michael McGarrity: Hermit's Peak (Kevin Kerney, No. 4). W. W. Norton & Company. Adult Mystery. Completed May 4, 2020, on MP3.
16. Iona Whishaw: A Killer in King's Cove. Touchwood Editions. Adult Mystery. Completed May 16, 2020, on Kindle.
17. Graham Norton: A Keeper. Atria Books. Adult Mystery. Completed May 18, 2020, on MP3.
18. Michael McGarrity: The Judas Judge (Kevin Kerney, No. 5). W. W. Norton & Company. Adult Mystery. Completed May 4, 2020, on Kindle.
19. Harlan Coben: The Boy from the Woods. Grand Central Publishing. Adult Mystery. Completed May 25, 2020, on MP3.
20. Mark Greaney: The Gray Man (Court Gentry, Book 1). Berkley. Adult Thriller. Completed June 17, 2020, on MP3.
21. Madeline Levine: Ready or Not: Preparing Our Kids to Thrive in an Uncertain and Rapidly Changing World. Harper. Adult Nonfiction. Completed June 4, 2020, on Kindle.
22. Victoria Thompson: Murder on Pleasant Avenue (Gaslight Mysteries, No. 23). Penguin Group. Adult Mystery. Completed June 7, 2020, on MP3.
23. D.E. Stevenson: Listening Valley. Sourcebooks. Adult Fiction. Completed June 20, 2020, personal copy.
24. Iona Whishaw: Death in a Darkening Mist. Touchwood Editions. Adult Mystery. Completed July 3, 2020, on Kindle.
25. Joy Ellis: Hidden on the Fens (Nikki Galena, No. 11). Joffe Books. Adult Mystery. Completed July 7, 2020, on MP3.
26. Iona Whishaw: An Old, Cold Grave (Lane Winslow, No. 3). Touchwood Editions. Adult Mystery. Completed July 12, 2020, on Kindle.
27. Iona Whishaw: It Begins in Betrayal (Lane Winslow, No. 4). Touchwood Editions. Adult Mystery. Completed July 21, 2020, on Kindle.
28. Paul Doiron: One Last Lie (Mike Bowditch, No. 11). Minotaur Books. Adult Mystery. Completed July 21, 2020, on MP3.
29. Iona Whishaw: A Sorrowful Sanctuary (Lane Winslow, No. 5). Touchwood Editions. Adult Mystery. Completed July 26, 2020, on Kindle.
30. Iona Whishaw: A Deceptive Devotion (Lane Winslow, No. 6). Touchwood Editions. Adult Mystery. Completed August 2, 2020, on Kindle.
31. Elly Griffiths: The Lantern Men. Recorded Books. Adult Mystery. Completed August 3, 2020, on MP3.s
32. Michael McGarrity: The Big Gamble (Kevin Kerney, No. 7). W. W. Norton & Company. Adult Mystery. Completed August 24, 2020, on MP3.
33. Jen Fulweiler: Your Blue Flame. ZOndervan. Adult Nonfiction. Completed August 28, 2020, on Kindle.
34. Vivek Murthy: Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World. Harper Wave. Adult Nonfiction. Completed September 5, 2020, on Kindle. 
35. Keith McCafferty: The Royal Wulff Murders (Sean Stranahan, Book 1). Adult Mystery. Completed September 8, 2020, on MP3.s
36. Louise Penny: All the Devils Are Here (Gamache, No. 16). Adult Mystery. Minotaur Books. Completed September 27, 2020, on MP3.
37. Margaret Mizushima: Hanging Falls (Timber Creek K-9, Book 6). Adult Mystery. Completed October 7, 2020, on MP3.
38. Tana French: The Searcher. Adult Mystery. Viking. Completed November 2, 2020, on MP3.
39. D.E. Stevenson: Spring Magic. Adult Fiction. Dean Street Press. Completed November 8, 2020, on Kindle.
40. Janet Evanovich: Fortune and Glory (Stephanie Plum, No. 27). Adult Fiction. Atria Books. Completed November 14, 2020, on MP3.
41. Keith McCafferty: The Gray Ghost Murders (Sean Stranahan, No. 2). Adult Mystery. Penguin Books. Completed December 1, 2020, on MP3.
42. Michael C. Grumley: The Last Monument. Adult Speculative Fiction. Audible. Completed December 31, 2020, on MP3.
43. Kate Murphy: You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters. Adult Nonfiction. Celadon Books. Completed December 31, 2020, on Kindle.

© 2021 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage. Links to be books may be affiliate links, for which I receive a small commission.

Books Read in March

This is a list of all of the books that I read in March, broken up into Picture Books, Middle Grade Books, Young Adult Books, and Adult Fiction. As you can see, I've been reading lots of picture books!

Picture Books

1. Betsy Snyder: Sweet Dreams Lullaby. Random House. Completed March 6, 2010.
2. Cynthia Lord (il. Derek Anderson): Hot Rod Hamster. Scholastic. Completed March 6, 2010. My review.
3. Aaron Zenz. The Hiccupotamus. Marshall Cavendish. Completed March 6, 2010. My review.
4. Boni Ashburn (ill. Kelly Murphy): Over at the Castle. Abrams. Completed March 6, 2010. My review.
5. Charise Mericle Harper: Pink Me Up. Knopf. Completed March 6, 2010. My review.
6. Diane Muldrow (ill. David Walker): How Do Lions Say I Love You? Golden Books. Completed March 6, 2010.
7. Selma Mandine: Kiss Kiss. Golden Books. Completed March 6, 2010.
8. Kat Yeh (ill. Sue Anderson): You're Lovable to Me. Random House. Completed March 6, 2010.
9. Major Brian Dennis, Kibry Larson, Mary Nethery: Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle. Little, Brown. Completed March 6, 2010. My review.
10. Ellen Weiss (ill. Jerry Smath): The Taming of Lola: A Shrew Story. Abrams. Completed March 6, 2010. My review.
11. Bruce Degen: Jamberry (board book). HarperFestival. March 12, 2010. A gift from Colleen.
12. Bob Boyle: Hugo and the Really, Really, Really Long String. Random House. Completed March 12, 2010.
13. Joan Yolleck (ill. Marjorie Priceman): Paris in the Spring with Picasso. Schwartz & Wade. Completed March 14, 2010.
14. Sergio Ruzzier: Amandina. Roaring Brook Press. Completed March 16, 2010.
15. Sergio Ruzzier: Hey, Rabbit. Roaring Brook Press. Completed March 16, 2010.
16. Stephen Huneck: Sally's Great Balloon Adventure. Abrams. Completed March 29, 2010.
17. Laura Numeroff and Nate Evans (ill. Lynn Munsinger): The Jellybeans and the Big Book Bonanza. Abrams. Completed March 29, 2010.
18. Judith Kerr: One Night in the Zoo. Kane/Miller Book Publishers. Completed March 30, 2010.
19. Susana Lopez (ill. Ulises Wensell): The Best Family in the World. Kane/Miller Book Publishers. Completed March 30, 2010.

Middle Grade Books

1. Marilyn Kaye: Gifted: Better Late than Never. Kingfisher. Completed March 1, 2010. My review.
2. Marilyn Kaye: Gifted: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow. Kingfisher. Completed March 1, 2010. My review.
3. Ridley Pearson: Steel Trapp: The Academy. Hyperion. Completed March 9, 2010. My review.

Young Adult Books

1. Carrie Ryan: The Dead-Tossed Waves. Delacorte Press. Completed March 6, 2010. My review.
2. Julie Halpern: Into the Wild Nerd Yonder. Feiwel & Friends. Completed March 14, 2010. My review.
3. Meg Cabot: Airhead. Point. Completed March 18, 2010. My review.
4. Lauren Henderson: Kiss Me, Kill Me (Scarlett Wakefield series). Delecorte Books for Young Readers. Completed March 22, 2010. My review.
5. Maggie Stiefvater: Linger. Scholastic. Completed March 25, 2010.
6. Meg Cabot: Being Nikki. Point. Completed March 27, 2010.

Adult Fiction

1. Steve Hamilton: The Lock Artist. Minotaur Books. Completed March 12, 2010.
2. Charlaine Harris: Dead and Gone. Ace. Completed March 15, 2010, on MP3.

© 2010 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. All Amazon links in this post are affiliate links, and may result in my receiving a small commission on purchases (with no additional cost to you).

Books Read in February

This is a list of the books that I read in February, broken up into Picture Books, Middle Grade Books, Young Adult Books, Adult Fiction, and Adult Nonfiction. It was an eclectic, if not very prolific, month for reading. Hopefully I'll have a bit more reading time in March.

Picture Books

1. Joyce Sidman (ill. Pamela Zagarenski): Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors. Houghton Mifflin. Completed February 17, 2010.
2. Liz Garton Scanlon (ill. Marla Frazee): All the World. Beach Lane Books. Completed February 18, 2010.

Middle Grade Books

1. Chris Grabenstein: The Hanging Hill. Random House. Completed February 4, 2010. My review.

Young Adult Books

1. Dom Testa: The Web of Titan: A Galahad Book. Tor Teen. Completed February 7, 2010.
2. Marilyn Kaye: Gifted: Out of Sight, Out of Mind. Kingfisher. Completed February 28, 2010.

Adult Fiction

1. Stephen White: The Siege. Dutton Adult. Completed February 14, 2010.
2. Charlaine Harris: From Dead to Worse (Sookie Stackhouse #8). Ace paperback. Completed February 23, 2010.

Adult Nonfiction

1. Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman: NurtureShock: New Thinking About Childen. Twelve. Completed February 17, 2010. My review.
2. Jim Trelease: The Read-Aloud Handbook: Sixth Edition. Penguin. Completed February 22, 2010. My review.

© 2010 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Books Read in January 2010

This is a list of the books that I read in January, broken up into Picture Books, Middle Grade Books, Young Adult Books, and Adult Fiction. This month was definitely dominated by middle grade fiction, mostly because I read the Cybils shortlist titles for MG Fantasy and Science Fiction. I'll likely read more YA in February. And I still have a goal of catching up on picture books one of these weeks...

Picture Books

1. Doreen Cronin (ill. Harry Bliss): Diary of a Worm. HarperCollins. Completed January 2, 2010.

Middle Grade Books

1. Julianna Baggott: The Prince of Fenway Park. HarperCollins. Completed January 8, 2010.
2. Neil Gaiman (ill. Brett Helquist): Odd and the Frost Giants. HarperCollins. Completed January 9, 2010.
3. Wendy Mass: 11 Birthdays. Scholastic. Completed January 9, 2010.
4. Grace Lin: When the Mountain Meets the Moon. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Completed January 11, 2010.
5. Joni Sensel: The Farwalker's Quest. Bloomsbury USA Children's Books. Completed January 17, 2010.
6. Jarrett J. Krosoczka: Lunch Lady and the Author Visit Vendetta. Knopf. Completed January 17, 2009. My review.
7. Joan Aiken (ill. Andi Watson): The Serial Garden: The Complete Armitage Family Stories. Big Mouth House. Completed January 21, 2010.
8. Madeleine L'Engle: A Wrinkle in Time. Square Fish. Completed January 23, 2010.
9. Madeleine L'Engle: A Wind in the Door. Square Fish. Completed January 26, 2010.
10. Rebecca Stead: When You Reach Me. Wendy Lamb Books. Completed January 28, 2010. My review.

Young Adult Books

1. Rachel Ward: Numbers. The Chicken House. Completed January 1, 2010. My review.
2. Caroline B. Cooney: They Never Came Back. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Completed January 12, 2010. My review.
3. Dom Testa: The Comet's Curse: A Galahad Book. Tor Teen. Completed January 18, 2010. My review.

Adult Fiction

1. Harlan Coben: Long Lost. Dutton. The 9th Myron Bolitar mystery. Completed January 9, 2010.
2. Charlaine Harris: All Together Dead (Sookie Stackhouse #7). Ace paperback. Completed January 29, 2010.

© 2010 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Books Read in 2009: Picture Books, Easy Readers, Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Adult

This is a list of all of the books that I read in 2009, broken up into Picture Books, Easy Readers, Middle Grade Books, Young Adult Books, Adult Fiction, and Adult Nonfiction. That's a total of 220 books, though 59 were picture books and easy readers, leaving 161 MG/YA/adult titles. Surprisingly, I read exactly 161 MG/YA/adult titles last year, too. I guess I'm more consistent than I give myself credit for. I did read more adult and young adult titles this year, and fewer middle grade books, which likely means that my page total is up a bit. I'm not setting any reading goals for next year, but if I manage to stay in this general ballpark, I'll be pretty happy.

Wishing you all a book-filled 2010!

Picture Books

1. Bob Staake: Trucks Go Pop. LB Kids. Completed January 3, 2009.
2. Tad Hills: What's Up, Duck? A Book of Opposites (Board Book). Schwartz & Wade. Completed January 8, 2009.
3. Patricia Marx and Roz Chast: Dot in Larryland: The Big Little Book of an Odd-Sized Friendship. Bloomsbury. Completed February 28, 2009.
4. Andrew Larsen (ill. Irene Luxbacher): The Imaginary Garden. Kids Can Press. Completed February 28, 2009. My review.
5. Scot Ritchie: Follow That Map!: A First Book of Mapping Skills. Kids Can Press. Completed February 28, 2009.
6. Barbara Todd (ill. Patricia Storms): Edward and the Eureka Lucky Wish Company. Kids Can Press. Completed February 28, 2009.
7. Peter H. Reynolds: The North Star. fableVision Press. Completed April 16, 2009.
8. Deborah Hopkinson (ill Stephen Alcorn): Keep On! The Story of Matthew Henson, Co-Discoverer of the North Pole. Peachtree. Completed June 19, 2009.
9. Louise Yates: A Small Surprise. Knopf. Completed June 19, 2009.
10. Joanna Harrison: Grizzly Dad: Why Dads are GREAT (even the grumpy ones!). David Fickling Books. Completed June 19, 2009.
11. Eileen Spinelli (ill. Tom Bowers): Princess Pig. Knopf. Completed June 19, 2009.
12. Emily Jenkins (ill. Giselle Potter): Sugar Would Not Eat It. Schwartz & Wade. Completed June 19, 2009.
13. Charise Mericle Harper: Milo's Special Words. Robin Corey Books. Completed June 19, 2009.
14. Stephanie Blake: I Don't Want to Go to School! Random House. Completed June 19, 2009.
15. Alison McGhee (ill. Taeeun Yoo): Only a Witch Can Fly. Feiwel and Friends. Completed June 19, 2009.
16. Dave Keane (ill. David Clark): Bobby Bramble Loses His Brain. Clarion Books. Completed June 19, 2009.
17. Mary Ann Rodman (ill. Tatjana Mai-Wyss): A Tree for Emmy. Peachtree. Completed June 19, 2009.
18. Diane Adams (ill. Nancy Hayashi): I Can Do It Myself! Completed June 19, 2009.
19. Kevin Luthardt: Flying! Peachtree. Completed June 19, 2009.
20. Rohan Henry: Good Night, Baby Ruby. Abrams. Completed June 19, 2009.
21. Caren McNelly McCormack (ill. Martha Aviles): The Fiesta Dress: A Quinceanera Tale. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
22. Beatrice Schenk de Regniers (ill. Margot Tomes): Little Sister and the Month Brothers. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
23. Phillis Gershator (ill. Katherine Potter). Old House, New House. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
24. Jonathan London (ill. Kristina Rodanas): Little Swan. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
25. Cynthia Rylant (ill. Nikki McClure): All In a Day. Abrams. Completed June 19, 2009.
26. Maryann Cocca-Leffler. My Dance Recital. Robin Corey Books. Completed June 19, 2009.
27. Ellen Javernick (ill. Kevin O'Malley): The Birthday Pet. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
28. Mark Shulman (ill. Vincent Nguyen): Gorilla Garage. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009. My review.
29. Kim Kennedy (ill Doug Kennedy): Hee-Haw-Dini and the Great Zambini. Abrams. Completed June 19, 2009.
30. Erica S. Perl (ill. Henry Cole): Chicken Butt! Abrams. Completed June 19, 2009.
31. Betsy Snyder: Have You Ever Tickled a Tiger? Random House. Completed June 19, 2009.
32. Yumi Heo: Ten Days and Nine Nights: An Adoption Story. Schwartz and Wade. Completed June 19, 2009.
33. Brie Spangler: The Grumpy Dump Truck. Knopf. Completed June 19, 2009. My review.
34. Nancy Davis: A Garden of Opposites. Schwartz and Wade. Completed June 19, 2009.
35. Dick Bruna: Miffy the Artist. Tate. Completed June 19, 2009.
36. Eileen Spinelli (ill. David Slonim): Silly Tilly. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
37. Deborah Heiligman (ill. Tim Bowers): Fun Dog, Sun Dog. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
38. Eric A. Kimmel (ill. Valeria Docampo): The Three Little Tamales. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009. My review.
39. Gennady Spirin: Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009. My review.
40. Phillis Gershator (ill. Santiago Cohen): Zoo Day Ole!: A Counting Book. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
41. David Goodman and Zoe Miller: Shape. Tate Publishing. Completed June 19, 2009.
42. Dan Yaccarino: The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Completed June 19, 2009. My review.
43. David Catrow: Dinosaur Hunt. Orchard Books. Completed June 19, 2009.
44. Jennifer Sattler: Sylvie. Random House. Completed June 19, 2009. My review.
45. John Stadler: Wilson and Miss Lovely. Robin Corey Books. Completed June 19, 2009. My review.
46. Matthew Cordell: Trouble Gum. Feiwel & Friends. Completed June 19, 2009. My review.
47. Mini Grey: Egg Drop. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Completed June 19, 2009. My review.
48. Jean Van Leeuwen (ill David Gavril): Chicken Soup. Abrams Books for Young Readers. Completed June 19, 2009. My review.
49. Laura Purdie Salas (ill. Steven Salerno): Stampede!: Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School. Clarion Books. Completed June 19, 2009. My review.
50. Janet Stein: This Little Bunny Can Bake. Schwartz & Wade. Completed June 19, 2009. My review.
51. Jonah Winter (ill. Andre Carrilho): You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!. Schwartz & Wade. Completed June 19, 2009. My review.
52. Jacqueline Jules (ill. Jef Czekaj): Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation. Charlesbridge. Completed June 19, 2009. My review.
53. Diane deGroat and Shelley Rotner: Dogs Don't Brush Their Teeth! Orchard Books. Completed June 29, 2009. My review.

Easy Readers

1. Mo Willems: I Love My New Toy! An Elephant & Piggie Book. Hyperion. Completed January 6, 2009.
2. Mo Willems: I Will Surprise My Friend! An Elephant & Piggie Book. Hyperion. Completed January 6, 2009.
3. Katie Speck (ill. Paul Ratz de Tagyos): Maybelle Goes to Tea. Henry Holt. Completed January 6, 2009.
4. Kate DiCamillo (ill. Chris Van Dusan): Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig. Candlewick Press. Completed January 6, 2009.
5. James Howe (ill. Marie-Louise Gay): Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time. Candlewick Press. Completed January 6, 2009.
6. Tim Egan: Dodsworth in London. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Completed October 10, 2009.

Middle Grade Books

1. Nancy Werlin: Double Helix. Puffin Sleuth. Completed January 3, 2009. My review.
2. Ellen Booraem: The Unnameables. Harcourt Children's Books. Completed January 13, 2009.
3. Jeff Kinney: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw. Amulet. Completed January 17, 2009. My review.
4. David Ward: Beneath the Mask. Amulet. Completed January 17, 2009. My review.
5. James Preller: Six Innings. Feiwel & Friends. Completed January 24, 2009. My review.
6. Jon Scieszka: Knucklehead. Completed February 10, 2009.
7. Fiona Bayrock (ill. Carolyn Conahan): Bubble Homes and Fish Farts. Charlesbridge. Completed February 27, 2009. My review.
8. Allan Peterkin (ill. Mike Shiell): Chill: Discover the Cool (and Creative) Side of Your Fridge. Kids Can Press. Completed February 27, 2009. My review.
9. Michael Sandler: Tom Brady and the New England Patriots: Super Bowl XXXVIII. Bearport Publishing. Completed February 28, 2009.
10. Michael Sandler: LeBron James: I Love Challenges! (Defining Moments) Bearport Publishing. Completed February 28, 2009. Review of this title, and the next three, here.
11. Meish Goldish: Michael Phelps: Anything is Possible! (Defining Moments) Bearport Publishing. Completed February 28, 2009.
12. Natalie Lunis: Chihuahua: Senor Tiny (Little Dogs Rock!). Bearport Publishing. Completed February 28, 2009.
13. Natalile Lunis: Dachshund: The Hot Dogger (Little Dogs Rock!). Bearport Publishing. Completed February 28, 2009.
14. Leslie Margolis: Boys are Dogs. Bloomsbury. Completed March 11, 2009. My review.
15. Fran Cannon Slayton: When the Whistle Blows. Philomel. Completed March 31, 2009. My review.
16. Mary Downing Hahn: Closed for the Season. Clarion. Completed April 9, 2009 (due out June 2009). My review.
17. Watt Key: Alabama Moon. Square Fish. Completed April 9, 2009. ALABAMA MOON won the 2007 E.B. White Read-Aloud Award. My review.
18. Rosanne Parry: Heart of a Shepherd. Random House. Completed May 7, 2009. My review.
19. Rick Riordan: The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson, Book 5). Hyperion. Completed May 10, 2009.
20. Helen Stringer: Spellbinder. Fewiwel & Friends. Completed May 11, 2009.
21. David A. Kelly (ill. Tim Jessell): Babe Ruth and the Baseball Curse. Random House Books for Young Readers. Completed May 28, 2009. My review.
22. Brenda Ferber: Jemma Hartman, Camper Extraordinaire. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Completed June 6, 2009. My review.
23. Zilpha Keatley Snyder: The Ghosts of Rathburn Park. Yearling. Completed June 6, 2009. My review.
24. Laurel Snyder: Any Which Wall. Random House Books for Young Readers. Completed June 6, 2009. My review.
25. Elise Broach: Masterpiece. Henry Holt and Co. Completed June 7, 2009. My review.
26. Sarah Prineas (ill. Antonio Javier Caparo): The Magic Thief. HarperCollins. Completed June 18, 2009. My review.
27. Jordan Sonnenblick: Dodger for President. Feiwel & Friends. Completed June 25, 2009. My review.
28. Eric Wight: Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom. Simon & Schuster. Completed June 27, 2009. My review.
29. Sarah Prineas (ill. Antonio Javier Caparo): The Magic Thief: Lost. HarperCollins. Completed June 27, 2009. My review.
30. Kate Messner: The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. Walker Books for Young Readers. Completed June 28, 2009. My review.
31. Rebecca Stead: First Light. Wendy Lamb Books. Completed July 3, 2009. My review.
32. Barbara Dee: Solving Zoe. Margaret K. McElderry. Completed July 27, 2009. My review.
33. Elizabeth Enright: Return to Gone-Away. Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich. Completed August 13, 2009 (a re-read). My review.
34. Sue Corbett: The Last Newspaper Boy in America. Dutton Juvenile. Completed August 15, 2009. My review.
35. Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm: Babymouse #11: Dragonslayer. Random House. Completed August 31, 2009. My review.
36. Peggy Gifford (ill. Valorie Fisher): Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Practicing the Piano: But She Does Love Being in Recitals. Schwartz and Wade. Completed September 1, 2009.
37. Margaret Peterson Haddix: Sent (Missing #2). Simon & Schuster. Completed September 14, 2009.
38. Sara Lewis Holmes: Operation Yes. Arthur A. Levine Books. Completed September 20, 2009. My review.
39. P. J. Hoover: The Navel of the World (The Forgotten Worlds #2). CBAY Books. Completed September 26, 2009. My review.
40. Jarrett J. Krosoczka: Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute. Knopf. Completed September 29, 2009.
41. Jarrett J. Krosoczka: Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians. Knopf. Completed September 30, 2009. My review.
42. Suzanne LaFleur: Love, Aubrey. Wendy Lamb Books. Completed October 3, 2009. My review.
43. Linda Buckley-Archer: Time Quake (Book 3, the Gideon Trilogy). Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. Completed October 11, 2009. My review.
44. Angie Sage: Queste (Septimus Heap, Book 4). Katherine Tegen Books. Completed November 3, 2009. My review.
45. Angie Sage: Syren (Septimus Heap, book 5). Katherine Tegan Books. Completed November 6, 2009. My review.
46. Glenn Dakin: Candle Man, Book One: The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance. EgmontUSA. Completed November 15, 2009.
47. Trenton Lee Stewart (ill. Diana Sudyka): The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma. Little, Brown. Completed December 7, 2009. My review.
48. Frances Hodgson Burnett (ill. Tasha Tudor): A Little Princess. HarperCollins. Completed December 12, 2009.
49. Inez Haynes Irwin: Maida's Little Shop. BiblioLife. Completed December 15, 2009.
50. Inez Haynes Irwin: Maida's Little House. Kessinger Publishing. Completed December 17, 2009.
51. Emily Diamand: Raider's Ransom. Scholastic. Completed December 21, 2009. My review.

Young Adult Books

1. A. M. Jenkins: Repossessed: A Novel. Harper Teen. Completed January 3, 2009. My review.
2. Patrick Ness: The Knife of Never Letting Go. Candlewick. Completed January 9, 2009. My review.
3. Christine Fletcher: Ten Cents A Dance. Bloomsbury. Completed January 10, 2009. My review.
4. Ann Brashares: Three Willows: The Sisterhood Grows. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Completed January 18, 2009. My review.
5. Denise Vega: Fact of Life #31. Knopf Book for Young Readers. Completed January 19, 2009. My review.
6. Mitali Perkins: Secret Keeper. Delacorte Press. Completed January 24, 2009. My review.
7. Jenny Moss: Winnie's War. Walker Books for Young Readers. Completed February 2, 2009. My review.
8. Anna Godbersen: Rumors: A Luxe Novel. HarperCollins. Completed February 5, 2009.
9. Laurie Halse Anderson: Wintergirls. Viking. Completed February 10, 2009. My review.
10. Garret Freymann-Weyr: After the Moment. Houghton Mifflin. Completed February 15, 2009. My review.
11. Julie Bertagna: Zenith. Walker Books for Young Readers. Completed February 23, 2009. My review.
12. Carrie Ryan: The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Completed March 3, 2009. My review.
13. Paul Zindel: The Pigman. HarperTeen. Completed March 14, 2009. My review.
14. Marley Gibson: Ghost Huntress: The Awakening. Sandpiper. Completed March 20, 2009. My review.
15. Carol Plum-Ucci: Streams of Babel. Harcourt. Completed March 21, 2009. My review.
16. Stephenie Meyer: Twilight. Little, Brown. Completed March 28, 2009.
17. Greg Taylor: Killer Pizza. Feiwel & Friends. Completed March 31, 2009. My review.
18. Janni Lee Simner: Bones of Faerie. Random House. Completed April 9, 2009.
19. Gail Giles: What Happened to Cass McBride. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Completed April 12, 2009 (on MP3).
20. Justina Chen Headley: North of Beautiful. Little, Brown Young Readers. Completed April 14, 2009. My review.
21. Kenneth Oppel: Starclimber. HarperCollins. Completed April 18, 2009. My review.
22. Laini Taylor: Dreamdark: Silksinger. Putnam. Completed April 25, 2009. Published September 2009. My review.
23. Neal Shusterman: Unwind. Simon & Schuster. Completed April 26, 2009. My review.
24. Cassandra Clare: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, Book 1). McElderry Books. Completed May 3, 2009.
25. Cassandra Clare: City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, Book 2). McElderry Books. Completed May 17, 2009.
26. Carol Lynch Williams: The Chosen One. Griffin. Completed May 24, 2009. My review.
27. Jennifer Lynn Barnes: Tattoo. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Completed May 26, 2009.
28. Ian Beck. Pastworld. Bloomsbury. Completed May 27, 2009. My review.
29. Suzanne Collins: Catching Fire (sequel to The Hunger Games). Scholastic. Completed June 1, 2009. My early thoughts (not a full review).
30. Jacqueline Kelly: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. Henry Holt and Co. Completed June 5, 2009. My review.
31. Caroline B. Cooney: If the Witness Lied. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Completed June 5, 2009. My review.
32. Anna Godbersen: Envy (Luxe #3). HarperCollins. Completed June 6, 2009.
33. Jennifer Bradbury: Shift. Atheneum. Completed June 6, 2009. My review.
34. Marley Gibson: Ghost Huntress, Book 2: The Guidance. Graphia. Completed June 7, 2009. My review.
35. Cassandra Clare: City of Glass. Simon & Schuster. Completed June 8, 2009. My review.
36. Tanita S. Davis: Mare's War. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Completed June 10, 2009. My review.
37. Michael Grant: Hunger: A Gone Novel. HarperTeen. Completed June 23, 2009. My review.
38. Catherine Gilbert Murdock: Front and Center. Houghton Mifflin. Completed June 24, 2009. My review.
39. Maggie Stiefvater: Shiver. Scholastic. Completed July 1, 2009. My review.
40. E. Lockhart: The Boy Book: A Study of Habits and Behaviors, Plus Techniques for Taming Them. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Completed July 4, 2009. My review.
41. E. Lockhart: The Treasure Map of Boys: Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch, Gideon--and me, Ruby Oliver. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Completed July 4, 2009. My review.
42. Charlie Higson: Double or Die (The Young James Bond, Book 3). Hyperion Books. Completed July 17, 2009.
43. Pam Bachorz: Candor. Egmont. Completed July 19, 2009. My review.
44. Max Turner: Night Runner. St. Martin's Press. Completed July 22, 2009. My review.
45. Jill S. Alexander: The Sweetheart of Prosper County. Feiwel and Friends. Completed July 31, 2009. My review.
46. Linda Joy Singleton: Dead Girl Dancing. Flux. Completed August 9, 2009. My review.
47. Linda Joy Singleton: Dead Girl in Love. Flux. Completed August 10, 2009. My review.
48. Kimberly Newton Fusco: Tending to Grace. Knopf. Completed August 10, 2009. My review.
49. Natalie Standiford: How to Say Goodbye in Robot. Scholastic. Completed August 19, 2009. My review.
50. Simone Elkeles: Perfect Chemistry. Walker. Completed August 27, 2009. My review.
51. Kristin Cashore: Fire. Dial. Completed August 30, 2009. My review.
52. Maggie Stiefvater: Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie. Flux. Completed September 28, 2009. My review.
53. James Dashner: The Maze Runner. Delacorte Press. Completed October 11, 2009. My review.
54. Varian Johnson: Saving Maddie. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Completed October 19, 2009.
55. Diana Peterfreund: Rampant. HarperTeen. Completed October 29, 2009. My review.
56. Jordan Sonnenblick: After Ever After. Scholastic. Completed November 1, 2009. My review.
57. Aprilynne Pike: Wings. HarperTeen. Completed November 10, 2009. My review.
58. Alexander Gordon Smith: Lockdown: Escape from Furnace. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Completed November 12, 2009. My review.
59. Laini Taylor: Lips Touch: Three Times. Arthur A. Levine Books. Completed November 25, 2009. My review.
60. Susan Beth Pfeffer: this world we live in. Harcourt. Completed December 5, 2009. My review.
61. John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle: Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances. Speak. Completed December 11, 2009. My review.
62. Sarah Beth Durst: Ice. Margaret K. McElderry Books. Completed December 22, 2009. My review.
63. Anna Godbersen: Splendor (A Luxe Novel). HarperCollins. Completed December 30, 2009.

Adult Fiction

1. Carol O'Connell: Bone by Bone. Putnam Adult. Completed January 5, 2009.
2. Sean Chercover: Big City, Bad Blood. Harper. Completed February 7, 2009.
3. Douglas Preston: Blasphemy. Forge. Completed February 8, 2009.
4. Thomas Perry: Runner. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Completed February 15, 2009.
5. Jacqueline Winspear: Among the Mad (Maisie Dobbs series). Henry Holt. Completed February 26, 2009.
6. D. E. Stevenson: Anna and her Daughters. Rinehart. Completed February 27, 2008.
7. D. E. Stevenson: Charlotte Fairlie. Rinehart. Completed February 28, 2009.
8. Kyle Mills: Darkness Falls. Vanguard Press. Completed March 10, 2009.
9. Laura Lippman: Another Thing to Fall. Completed March 23, 2009.
10. Orson Scott Card: Speaker for the Dead. Tor. Completed March 28, 2009. (On MP3)
11. Lisa Lutz: Curse of the Spellmans. Simon & Schuster. Completed March 31, 2009.
12. Louise Penny: The Cruelest Month. Minotaur. Completed April 7, 2009.
13. Harlan Coben: Hold Tight. Signet. Completed April 9, 2009.
14. Connie Willis: The Doomsday Book. Spectra. Completed May 20, 2009.
15. Robert Crais: Chasing Darkness (an Elvis Cole novel). Simon & Schuster. Completed May 23, 2009.
16. Victoria Thompson: Murder on Bank Street (Gaslight Mystery). Berkeley. Completed May 31, 2009.
17. Lisa Lutz: Revenge of the Spellmans. Simon & Schuster. Completed June 5, 2009. My review.
18. Stephen King: The Stand. Signet. Completed June 17, 2009. (A re-read of an old favorite.)
19. Charlaine Harris: Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1). Ace. Completed June 24, 2009, on MP3. Oddly addictive, though I don't generally care for listening to books this explicit on audio. The southern accent really worked for me, though, in liking the character.
20. Janet Evanovich: Finger Lickin' Fifteen (Stephanie Plum novels). St. Martins Press. Completed July 7, 2009, on MP3. I love listening to these books, I really do. This one is no exception.
21. Laura Lippman: Life Sentences. William Morrow. Completed July 7, 2009. I thought that Lippman had some brilliant insights, and interesting characters, but overall I found the book a little disappointing. I was frustrated by a significant plot point left dangling, and found the parts of the plot that were resolved a bit anti-climactic. Although this book centers around a child who disappeared, it's much more quiet, literary fiction than mystery, and apparently not quite my thing.
22. John Hart: The Last Child. Minotaur Books. Completed July 9, 2009. Quite compelling. I read this in two sittings, and spent time thinking about it afterwards. Standalone thriller/mystery about a 13-year-old boy looking in dark places for his missing twin sister.
23. Craig Johnson: Death Without Company. Penguin. Completed July 13, 2009.
24. Craig Johnson: Kindness Goes Unpunished (Walt Longmire #3). Penguin. Completed July 21, 2009.
25. Charlaine Harris: Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse #3). Ace. Completed July 25, 2009, on MP3.
26. Craig Johnson: Another Man's Moccasins (Walt Longmire #4). Penguin Viking. Completed July 27, 2009.
27. Lee Child: Gone Tomorrow (Jack Reacher, No. 13). Delacorte. Completed August 8, 2009.
28. Laurie R. King: The Language of Bees (Mary Russell novels). Bantam. Completed August 23, 2009. A great addition to the Russell/Holmes series. I only wish I had known that it would end with "to be continued". I might have waited, because now I'm breathless for the next, not yet available, book.
29. Charlaine Harris: Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse #3). Ace Trade. Completed August 20, 2009 (on MP3).
30. Stieg Larsson: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Vintage. Completed September 4, 2009.
31. F. Paul Wilson: Harbingers: A Repairman Jack novel. Tor Books. Completed September 9, 2009.
32. Charlaine Harris: Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse #4). Ace Trade. Completed September 13, 2009 (on MP3).
33. Carrie Bebris: The Matters at Mansfield: Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery. Tor Books. Completed October 15, 2009.
34. C. S. Harris: What Angels Fear: A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery. Signet. Completed October 16, 2009.
35. F. Paul Wilson: Bloodline: A Repairman Jack Novel. Forge Books. Completed October 19, 2009.
36. Charlaine Harris: Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse #5). Ace Trade. Completed October 22, 2009 (on MP3).
37. Victoria Thompson: Murder on Waverly Place (Gaslight mystery). Berkeley. Completed October 23, 2009. Library copy.
38. Craig Johnson: The Dark Horse (Walt Longmire mystery). Viking Adult. Completed October 25, 2009. Library copy.
39. Linwood Barclay: Too Close to Home. Bantam. Completed November 17, 2009.
40. Sean Chercover: Trigger City. Harper. Completed November 22, 2009.
41. Stephen White: Dead Time (Dr. Alan Gregory). Signet. Completed December 2, 2009.
42. Charlaine Harris: Definitely Dead. (Sookie Stackhouse #6). Ace Trade. Completed December 3, 2009 (on MP3).
43. Stephen King: Under the Dome. Scribner. Completed December 29, 2009.
44. Deborah Crombie: Necessary as Blood. Completed December 30, 2009.

Adult Nonfiction

1. Donalyn Miller: The Book Whisperer. Jossey-Bass. Completed March 21, 2009. My review.
2. Chris Brogan and Julien Smith: Trust Agents. Wiley. Completed September 18, 2009.
3. Kim and Jason Kotecki: There's An Adult in My Soup. JBird, Inc. Completed September 29, 2009. My review.

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Books Read in November: Middle Grade, YA, and Adult Fiction

This is a list of the books that I read in November, 2009, broken up into Middle Grade Books, Young Adult Books, and Adult Fiction. It was a bit of a slow reading month, for various reasons. But I do hope to catch up on the ones that I haven't reviewed yet soon.

Middle Grade Books

1. Angie Sage: Queste (Septimus Heap, Book 4). Katherine Tegen Books. Completed November 3, 2009. My review.
2. Angie Sage: Syren (Septimus Heap, book 5). Katherine Tegan Books. Completed November 6, 2009. My review.
3. Glenn Dakin: Candle Man, Book One: The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance. EgmontUSA. Completed November 15, 2009.

Young Adult Books

1. Jordan Sonnenblick: After Ever After. Scholastic. Completed November 1, 2009. My review.
2. Aprilynne Pike: Wings. HarperTeen. Completed November 10, 2009. My review.
3. Alexander Gordon Smith: Lockdown: Escape from Furnace. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Completed November 12, 2009. My review.
4. Laini Taylor: Lips Touch: Three Times. Arthur A. Levine Books. Completed November 25, 2009.

Adult Fiction

1. Linwood Barclay: Too Close to Home. Bantam. Completed November 17, 2009.
2. Sean Chercover: Trigger City. Harper. Completed November 22, 2009.

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. All Amazon links in this post are affiliate links, and may result in my receiving a small commission on purchases (with no additional cost to you).

Books Read in September

This is a list of all of the books that I read in September, broken up into Middle Grade Books, Young Adult Books, Adult Fiction, and Adult Nonfiction. In looking back over this list, what's amazing is that I only read one young adult title in all of September. Very strange reading pattern for me, indeed.

Middle Grade Books

1. Peggy Gifford (ill. Valorie Fisher): Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Practicing the Piano: But She Does Love Being in Recitals. Schwartz and Wade. Completed September 1, 2009.
2. Margaret Peterson Haddix: Sent (Missing #2). Simon & Schuster. Completed September 14, 2009.
3. Sara Lewis Holmes: Operation Yes. Arthur A. Levine Books. Completed September 20, 2009. My review.
4. P. J. Hoover: The Navel of the World (The Forgotten Worlds #2). CBAY Books. Completed September 26, 2009.
5. Jarrett J. Krosoczka: Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute. Knopf. Completed September 29, 2009.
6. Jarrett J. Krosoczka: Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians. Knopf. Completed September 30, 2009.

Young Adult Books

1. Maggie Stiefvater: Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie. Flux. Completed September 28, 2009.

Adult Fiction

1. Stieg Larsson: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Vintage. Completed September 4, 2009.
2. F. Paul Wilson: Harbingers: A Repairman Jack novel. Tor Books. Completed September 9, 2009.
3. Charlaine Harris: Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse #4). Ace Trade. Completed September 13, 2009 (on MP3).

Adult Nonfiction

1. Chris Brogan and Julien Smith: Trust Agents. Wiley. Completed September 18, 2009.
2. Kim and Jason Kotecki: There's An Adult in My Soup. JBird, Inc. Completed September 29, 2009. My review.

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Books Read in August

This is a list of the books that I read in August, broken up into Middle Grade Books, Young Adult Books, and Adult Fiction. I have reviews scheduled in the next few weeks for most of the completed middle grade and young adult titles. It was a bit of a light reading month for me, but I'm hoping to get in more reading time in September. I did read some excellent books, so that balances things out.  

Middle Grade Books

1. Elizabeth Enright: Return to Gone-Away. Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich. Completed August 13, 2009 (a re-read). My review.
2. Sue Corbett: The Last Newspaper Boy in America. Dutton Juvenile. Completed August 15, 2009.
3. Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm: Babymouse #11: Dragonslayer. Random House. Completed August 31, 2009.

Young Adult Books

1. Linda Joy Singleton: Dead Girl Dancing. Flux. Completed August 9, 2009. My review.
2. Linda Joy Singleton: Dead Girl in Love. Flux. Completed August 10, 2009. My review.
3. Kimberly Newton Fusco: Tending to Grace. Knopf. Completed August 10, 2009. My review.
4. Natalie Standiford: How to Say Goodbye in Robot. Scholastic. Completed August 19, 2009.
5. Simone Elkeles: Perfect Chemistry. Walker. Completed August 27, 2009.
6. Kristin Cashore: Fire. Dial. Completed August 30, 2009.

Adult Fiction

1. Lee Child: Gone Tomorrow (Jack Reacher, No. 13). Delacorte. Completed August 8, 2009. A new installment from one of my favorite adult series.
2. Laurie R. King: The Language of Bees (Mary Russell novels). Bantam. Completed August 23, 2009. A great addition to the Russell/Holmes series. I only wish I had known that it would end with "to be continued". I might have waited, because now I'm breathless for the next, not yet available, book.
3. Charlaine Harris: Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse #3). Ace Trade. Completed August 20, 2009 (on MP3).

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Books Read in July

This is a list of all of the books that I read in July, broken up into Middle Grade Books, Young Adult Books, and Adult Fiction. I was taking a bit of a reviewing break for much of the month (after burning out by reviewing too many titles in rapid succession), so I read a higher ratio of adult titles than usual (mostly mysteries). I don't generally review those, but I have included a few brief comments. I also (once I recovered a bit from the burnout) caught up a bit on reviews of previously read picture books, and have several reviews scheduled to post over the next couple of weeks.

Middle Grade Books

1. Rebecca Stead: First Light. Wendy Lamb Books. Completed July 3, 2009. My review.
2. Barbara Dee: Solving Zoe. Margaret K. McElderry. Completed July 27, 2009. My review.

Young Adult Books

1. Maggie Stiefvater: Shiver. Scholastic. Completed July 1, 2009. My review.
2. E. Lockhart: The Boy Book: A Study of Habits and Behaviors, Plus Techniques for Taming Them. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Completed July 4, 2009. My review.
3. E. Lockhart: The Treasure Map of Boys: Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch, Gideon--and me, Ruby Oliver. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Completed July 4, 2009. My review.
4. Charlie Higson: Double or Die (The Young James Bond, Book 3). Hyperion Books. Completed July 17, 2009. Enjoyed, but didn't review it. Third book in a fun series aimed at teen boys. And fun for adult Bond fans, too.
5. Pam Bachorz: Candor. Egmont. Completed July 19, 2009. Review forthcoming, closer to publication.
6. Max Turner: Night Runner. St. Martin's Press. Completed July 22, 2009. Review forthcoming, closer to publication.
7. Jill S. Alexander: The Sweetheart of Prosper County. Feiwel and Friends. Completed July 31, 2009. Review forthcoming.

Adult Fiction

1. Janet Evanovich: Finger Lickin' Fifteen (Stephanie Plum novels). St. Martins Press. Completed July 7, 2009, on MP3. I love listening to these books, I really do. This one is no exception. So funny!
2. Laura Lippman: Life Sentences. William Morrow. Completed July 7, 2009. I thought that Lippman had some brilliant insights, and interesting characters, but overall I found the book a little disappointing. I was frustrated by a significant plot point left dangling, and found the parts of the plot that were resolved a bit anti-climactic. Although this book centers around a child who disappeared, it's much more quiet, literary fiction than mystery, and apparently not quite my thing.
3. John Hart: The Last Child. Minotaur Books. Completed July 9, 2009. Quite compelling. I read this in two sittings, and spent time thinking about it afterwards. Excellent standalone thriller/mystery about a 13-year-old boy looking in dark places for his missing twin sister.
4. Craig Johnson: Death Without Company (Walt Longmire #2. Penguin. Completed July 13, 2009.
5. Craig Johnson: Kindness Goes Unpunished (Walt Longmire #3). Penguin. Completed July 21, 2009.
6. Charlaine Harris: Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse #3). Ace. Completed July 25, 2009, on MP3. I can't put my finger on why I like listening to these so much - I think it might be the voice - but they are perfect to listen to while driving around running errands, doing household chores, etc.
7. Craig Johnson: Another Man's Moccasins (Walt Longmire #4). Penguin Viking. Completed July 27, 2009. I enjoyed all three Walt Longmire books (obvious, given that I read all three in 2 weeks). An excellent series about a Wyoming sheriff, filled with characters who feel real, and an ironic humor.

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Books Read in June

This is a list of the books that I read in June of 2009, broken up into Picture Books, Middle Grade Books, Young Adult Books, and Adult Fiction. As you can see, I went on a bit of a picture book binge earlier this month. I will be reviewing the ones that worked best for me out of these titles, spreading the reviews out over the next couple of months. I also have quite a few reviews of middle grade and young adult titles, with thanks to MotherReader's 48 Hour Book Challenge for getting me back on the reviewing track.

Picture Books

1. Deborah Hopkinson (ill Stephen Alcorn): Keep On! The Story of Matthew Henson, Co-Discoverer of the North Pole. Peachtree. Completed June 19, 2009.
2. Louise Yates: A Small Surprise. Knopf. Completed June 19, 2009.
3. Joanna Harrison: Grizzly Dad: Why Dads are GREAT (even the grumpy ones!). David Fickling Books. Completed June 19, 2009.
4. Eileen Spinelli (ill. Tom Bowers): Princess Pig. Knopf. Completed June 19, 2009.
5. Emily Jenkins (ill. Giselle Potter): Sugar Would Not Eat It. Schwartz & Wade. Completed June 19, 2009.
6. Charise Mericle Harper: Milo's Special Words. Robin Corey Books. Completed June 19, 2009.
7. Stephanie Blake: I Don't Want to Go to School! Random House. Completed June 19, 2009.
8. Alison McGhee (ill. Taeeun Yoo): Only a Witch Can Fly. Feiwel and Friends. Completed June 19, 2009.
9. Dave Keane (ill. David Clark): Bobby Bramble Loses His Brain. Clarion Books. Completed June 19, 2009.
10. Mary Ann Rodman (ill. Tatjana Mai-Wyss): A Tree for Emmy. Peachtree. Completed June 19, 2009.
11. Diane Adams (ill. Nancy Hayashi): I Can Do It Myself! Completed June 19, 2009.
12. Kevin Luthardt: Flying! Peachtree. Completed June 19, 2009.
13. Rohan Henry: Good Night, Baby Ruby. Abrams. Completed June 19, 2009.
14. Caren McNelly McCormack (ill. Martha Aviles): The Fiesta Dress: A Quinceanera Tale. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
15. Beatrice Schenk de Regniers (ill. Margot Tomes): Little Sister and the Month Brothers. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
16. Phillis Gershator (ill. Katherine Potter). Old House, New House. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
17. Jonathan London (ill. Kristina Rodanas): Little Swan. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
18. Cynthia Rylant (ill. Nikki McClure): All In a Day. Abrams. Completed June 19, 2009.
19. Maryann Cocca-Leffler. My Dance Recital. Robin Corey Books. Completed June 19, 2009.
20. Ellen Javernick (ill. Kevin O'Malley): The Birthday Pet. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
21. Mark Shulman (ill. Vincent Nguyen): Gorilla Garage. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
22. Kim Kennedy (ill Doug Kennedy): Hee-Haw-Dini and the Great Zambini. Abrams. Completed June 19, 2009.
23. Erica S. Perl (ill. Henry Cole): Chicken Butt! Abrams. Completed June 19, 2009.
24. Betsy Snyder: Have You Ever Tickled a Tiger? Random House. Completed June 19, 2009.
25. Yumi Heo: Ten Days and Nine Nights: An Adoption Story. Schwartz and Wade. Completed June 19, 2009.
26. Brie Spangler: The Grumpy Dump Truck. Knopf. Completed June 19, 2009.
27. Nancy Davis: A Garden of Opposites. Schwartz and Wade. Completed June 19, 2009.
28. Dick Bruna: Miffy the Artist. Tate. Completed June 19, 2009.
29. Eileen Spinelli (ill. David Slonim): Silly Tilly. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
30. Deborah Heiligman (ill. Tim Bowers): Fun Dog, Sun Dog. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
31. Eric A. Kimmel (ill. Valeria Docampo): The Three Little Tamales. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
32. Gennadii Spirin and Gennady Spirin: Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
33. Phillis Gershator (ill. Santiago Cohen): Zoo Day Ole!: A Counting Book. Marshall Cavendish. Completed June 19, 2009.
34. David Goodman and Zoe Miller: Shape. Tate Publishing. Completed June 19, 2009.
35. Dan Yaccarino: The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Completed June 19, 2009.
36. David Catrow: Dinosaur Hunt. Orchard Books. Completed June 19, 2009.
37. Jennifer Sattler: Sylvie. Random House. Completed June 19, 2009.
38. John Stadler: Wilson and Miss Lovely. Robin Corey Books. Completed June 19, 2009.
39. Matthew Cordell: Trouble Gum. Feiwel & Friends. Completed June 19, 2009.
40. Mini Grey: Egg Drop. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Completed June 19, 2009.
41. Jean Van Leeuwen (ill David Gavril): Chicken Soup. Abrams Books for Young Readers. Completed June 19, 2009.
42. Laura Purdie Salas (ill. Steven Salerno): Stampede!: Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School. Clarion Books. Completed June 19, 2009.
43. Janet Stein: This Little Bunny Can Bake. Schwartz & Wade. Completed June 19, 2009.
44. Jonah Winter (ill. Andre Carrilho): You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!. Schwartz & Wade. Completed June 19, 2009.
45. Jacqueline Jules (ill. Jef Czekaj): Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation. Charlesbridge. Completed June 19, 2009.
46. Diane deGroat and Shelley Rotner: Dogs Don't Brush Their Teeth! Orchard Books. Completed June 29, 2009. (Review scheduled for publication date - August 1st)

Middle Grade Books

1. Brenda Ferber: Jemma Hartman, Camper Extraordinaire. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Completed June 6, 2009. My review.
2. Zilpha Keatley Snyder: The Ghosts of Rathburn Park. Yearling. Completed June 6, 2009. My review.
3. Laurel Snyder: Any Which Wall. Random House Books for Young Readers. Completed June 6, 2009. My review.
4. Elise Broach: Masterpiece. Henry Holt and Co. Completed June 7, 2009. My review.
5. Sarah Prineas (ill. Antonio Javier Caparo): The Magic Thief. HarperCollins. Completed June 18, 2009. My review.
6. Jordan Sonnenblick: Dodger for President. Feiwel & Friends. Completed June 25, 2009. My review.
7. Eric Wight: Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom. Simon & Schuster. Completed June 27, 2009. My review.
8. Sarah Prineas (ill. Antonio Javier Caparo): The Magic Thief: Lost. HarperCollins. Completed June 27, 2009. My review.
9. Kate Messner: The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. Walker Books for Young Readers. Completed June 28, 2009. (Holding review until closer to publication, but I do recommend this title, especially for girls just starting middle school.)

Young Adult Books

1. Suzanne Collins: Catching Fire (sequel to The Hunger Games). Scholastic. Completed June 1, 2009. My early thoughts (not a full review).
2. Jacqueline Kelly: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. Henry Holt and Co. Completed June 5, 2009. My review.
3. Caroline B. Cooney: If the Witness Lied. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Completed June 5, 2009. My review.
4. Anna Godbersen: Envy (Luxe #3). HarperCollins. Completed June 6, 2009. (No review, because this was an audio read)0
5. Jennifer Bradbury: Shift. Atheneum. Completed June 6, 2009. My review.
6. Marley Gibson: Ghost Huntress, Book 2: The Guidance. Graphia. Completed June 7, 2009. My review.
7. Cassandra Clare: City of Glass. Simon & Schuster. Completed June 8, 2009. My review.
8. Tanita S. Davis: Mare's War. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Completed June 10, 2009. My review.
9. Michael Grant: Hunger: A Gone Novel. HarperTeen. Completed June 23, 2009. My review.
10. Catherine Gilbert Murdock: Front and Center. Houghton Mifflin. Completed June 24, 2009. My review.

Adult Fiction

1. Lisa Lutz: Revenge of the Spellmans. Simon & Schuster. Completed June 5, 2009. My review.
2. Stephen King: The Stand. Signet. Completed June 17, 2009. (A re-read of an old favorite.)
3. Charliane Harris: Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1). Ace. Completed June 24, 2009, on MP3. Oddly addictive, though I don't generally care for listening to books this explicit on audio. The southern accent really worked for me, though, in liking the character.

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Books Read in May 2009

This is a list of the books that I read in May, broken up into Middle Grade Books, Young Adult Books, and Adult Fiction. As always, I wish I'd had more time to read (even a vacation didn't help!). But I do expect to get some good reading done during MotherReader's 48 Hour Book Challenge next weekend. And one of these days I'm going to tackle my stack of picture books, too.

Middle Grade Books

1. Rosanne Parry: Heart of a Shepherd. Random House. Completed May 7, 2009. My review.
2. Rick Riordan: The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson, Book 5). Hyperion. Completed May 10, 2009.
3. Helen Stringer: Spellbinder. Fewiwel & Friends. Completed May 11, 2009.
4. David A. Kelly (ill. Tim Jessell): Babe Ruth and the Baseball Curse. Random House Books for Young Readers. Completed May 28, 2009. My review.

Young Adult Books

1. Cassandra Clare: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, Book 1). McElderry Books. Completed May 3, 2009.
2. Cassandra Clare: City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, Book 2). McElderry Books. Completed May 17, 2009.
3. Carol Lynch Williams: The Chosen One. Griffin. Completed May 24, 2009. My review.
4. Jennifer Lynn Barnes: Tattoo. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Completed May 26, 2009.
5. Ian Beck. Pastworld. Bloomsbury. Completed May 27, 2009. (Reviewing forthcoming, closer to publication.)

Adult Fiction

1. Connie Willis: The Doomsday Book. Spectra. Completed May 20, 2009. A gripping read, highly recommended by many of my blog readers. Set in the future in England, but featuring time travel back to the Middle Ages.
2. Robert Crais: Chasing Darkness. Simon & Schuster. Completed May 23, 2009. A new title in the Elvis Cole Private Investigator series, set in Los Angeles.
3. Victoria Thompson: Murder on Bank Street (Gaslight Mystery). Berkeley. Completed May 31, 2009. A historical series set in the early 1900s in New York (one of my favorite time periods for books). This is a remarkable series, with highly nuanced characters, one that just keeps getting better with every book.

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.

Books Read in April

This is a list of the books that I read in April, broken up into Picture Books, Middle Grade Books, Young Adult Books, and Adult Fiction. Not a ton of books read, but I liked pretty much everything, so that makes it a good month. I have reviews pending for Dreamdark: Silksinger and Unwind. I have some vacation time planned for May, so hopefully I'll get a bit more reading done then.

Picture Books

1. Peter H. Reynolds: The North Star. fableVision Press. Completed April 16, 2009.

Middle Grade Books

1. Mary Downing Hahn: Closed for the Season. Clarion. Completed April 9, 2009 (due out June 2009). My review.
2. Watt Key: Alabama Moon. Square Fish. Completed April 9, 2009. ALABAMA MOON won the 2007 E.B. White Read-Aloud Award. My review.

Young Adult Books

1. Janni Lee Simner: Bones of Faerie. Random House. Completed April 9, 2009.
2. Gail Giles: What Happened to Cass McBride. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Completed April 12, 2009 (on MP3).
3. Justina Chen Headley: North of Beautiful. Little, Brown Young Readers. Completed April 14, 2009. My review.
4. Kenneth Oppel: Starclimber. HarperCollins. Completed April 18, 2009. My review.
5. Laini Taylor: Dreamdark: Silksinger. Putnam. Completed April 25, 2009. Published September 2009.
6. Neal Shusterman: Unwind. Simon & Schuster. Completed April 26, 2009.

Adult Fiction

1. Louise Penny: The Cruelest Month. Minotaur. Completed April 7, 2009.
2. Harlan Coben: Hold Tight. Signet. Completed April 9, 2009.

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.