The Awakening by Shannon Drake

This story takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, a place I am familiar and enraptured with.  The story also happens to take place the week of Halloween which is a pretty major holiday around those parts.

I enjoyed the two main characters and the mystery surrounding them.  Alas, it was a bit predictable and the ending was anticlimactic for my tastes.  In my humble opinion if you spend 400 pages on the week prior to an event, feel free to spend more than 50 on the major event.  But, I digress.

It was a good story, meant for cheap thrills which is delivered.  I'm glad I read this one around Halloween.

3 smiles

Ungifted by Gordon Korman

Funny and interesting, this middle grades book kept me turning pages rapidly.  Donovan starts off a bit troublesome but quickly becomes a great role model for kids!  He finds himself smack dab int he middle of a gifted school he doesn't really belong in and teaches us all a thing or two.  In fact, this one would be a great book study for teachers!

4 smiles

Invisible by James Patterson and David Ellis

Another amazing cannot-put-it-down work by Mr. Patterson.  This one follows Emily, who I adore, as she pieces together a puzzle only she believes is even a puzzle!  I loved the twist of our main character being the only one who believes in this creep, I loved the ending, and I love James Patterson.  With over 200 books to his name and countless authors clamoring to share the byline with him, he hasn't lost his touch at all.  Highly recommended for mystery, thriller, or Patterson fans everywhere.
 5 smiles, 1 wink

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

I really wanted to like this book.  I've enjoyed other works by Ms. Kingsolver, including Bean Trees and Pigs in Heaven (highly recommended books, by the way).  This book was a realistic fiction story that follows a rural family with troubles as they encounter a scientific phenomenon that changes their small town.  The story is woven with some excellent science details and a few characters who I really respected and enjoyed (Ovid Byron, for one).

However, the story slows painfully in many spots and I felt myself needing to force the reading to get through it.  The information about global warming is actually presented quite well and reads quickly, helping this earn a smile from me.  Overall, I give this book 2 smiles.  One earned for the presentation of global warming and one earned because I like the extended metaphor of the butterflies to our main character.

Lincoln's Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin

This book was a gift to me from some amazing little readers I've had the privilege of teaching or working with in some capacity over the years.  I really enjoyed the factual evidence presented in an interesting way and the pictures were great!  I have never considered myself a history buff, but I completely fell in love with this story.  Anyone interested in history at all should give this quick read a go.

As a side note this would be a GREAT one to read with a class!

4 smiles