Showing posts with label YA book club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YA book club. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Weekly Reads: Code Name Verity

Code Name Verity is a book I've wanted to read since it was awarded a Printz Honor in 2013. I begged and pleaded for enough copies to be added to our libraries' collection so we could discuss it for my Young @ Heart bookclub and we finally got to read and discuss it for our May meeting! Most of our book selections for bookclub are fairly easy reading and comprehension level, and usually suck you in from the get go. These are some of the reasons that I devour YA books so frequently! I need to be hooked and inhale the book. This book does NOT fall in that category. I likened it to trudging through knee deep mud in your big brother's size 13 boots. I spent so much time reading this 330 page book. But it was so, so worth it.

If you're in to history (or even if you're not!), and you want a book that will make you think and properly digest the information you are given, this is absolutely for you. But be aware that it is fairly slow moving, PUSH ONWARD WHEN YOU WANT TO GIVE UP. :)

My rating: 4.5 stars

P.S. The follow up book Rose Under Fire came out this winter and is supposed to be just as great. I need to get to it asap!

Goodreads Summary:

I have two weeks. You’ll shoot me at the end no matter what I do.

That’s what you do to enemy agents. It’s what we do to enemy agents. But I look at all the dark and twisted roads ahead and cooperation is the easy way out. Possibly the only way out for a girl caught red-handed doing dirty work like mine — and I will do anything, anything, to avoid SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden interrogating me again.

He has said that I can have as much paper as I need. All I have to do is cough up everything I can remember about the British War Effort. And I’m going to. But the story of how I came to be here starts with my friend Maddie. She is the pilot who flew me into France — an Allied Invasion of Two.

We are a sensational team.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Mock Printz

At my library, I've started a book club for adults who like to read Young Adult books. It's been a lot of fun so far, and I was even in the paper to promote it! YAY books!

For our January meet up, I had the idea to do a Mock Printz Award discussion. The Printz Award is akin to the Newbery Award given for quality children's literature, only it is geared specifically for Young Adult books (books geared toward 13-18 year olds).

In case you want to play along from afar, here are the titles we have on our list. I encouraged people to read as many or as few as they'd like. The Printz Award committee looks at all the Young Adult books published in the U.S. during the year to determine one Printz Award winner and five Printz honor books.

The books on our list are:

I've highlighted the books that I got a chance to read.

We discussed the books one by one, discussing the merits that the Printz committee looks at when deciding. Then we voted on our top 3 books with the 1st place book garnering 5 points, 2nd 3 points and 3rd 1 point.

My personal votes were
1.  Eleanor and Park
2.  More Than This
3.  Two Boys Kissing

I really really hope E&P will win the Printz, but I could also see More Than This taking the honors.

Our group came up with:

1.  Eleanor and Park (27)
2.  Forgive Me Leonard Peacock (16)
3.  Two Boys Kissing (9)
4T.  More Than This (8)
4T.  Winger (8)
6.  Far Far Away (5)
7.  5th Wave (4)
8.  Counting by 7s (3)
9.  Coldest Girl in Coldtown (1)


The actual Printz award will be on January 27th. I can't wait to see who wins!

**The links are all amazon affiliate links, so if you click on them and buy the book, I get a tiny portion of the sale. FYI**