I just finished Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding. Fielding has a way of making you believe her stories could actually happen. Olivia is a freelance writer who is convinced that she met Osma bin Ladin or at least someone from al Qaeda. The magazine she currently works for never believes some of her far out story ideas, so she creates another one she can work on while she gets to know the Osma look alike. The story continues getting more far fetched and hilarious with every page turned. I would highly recommend it, especially if you read and like Bridget Jones's Diary also by Fielding.

Onto Witch-Hunt: Mysteries of the Salem Witch Trials and Breaking the Da Vinci Code.

Have any of you started Witch-Hunt?

Just to let all of you know, I am back at HHS working my regular hours from 7 a.m. to 3:30 a.m., so stop by and say hello.

The Perks of being a Wallflower is an AWESOME book!!! I'm so glad someone besides me and my sister Sarah is reading that.
But you should definitely read The House of The Scorpion. It's not as stupid as it sounds. Trust me. I completely loved it.
Some books that you should check out:
Girl by Blake Nelson
Pure by Rebecca Ray (not really "school appropriate" but the lesson that the main character learns is worth reading it! plus the author dropped out of school to write this, so you know it HAS to be worth the time!)
girlfight by Frank Lauria (based on the movie. I haven't seen the movie yet, but the book is awesome. It's 100% girl kicking butt. GREAT story!)
Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn (an amazing book. This girl is kicked out of boarding school and sent back to her super rich and stuck up mom and dad. Her mom gets sick of her and sends her to spend the summer with her biological father. amazing.)
Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers and Emo byt Andy Greenwald (you all know I'm way into music. Blender magazine calls it Catcher in the Rye with guitars. It's a basic history of "emo" music I.E. Dashboard Confessional, Jimmy Eats World and other awesome bands. You guys might like it)
Villette by Charlotte Bronte (I just got it. I'm not too far into it, but it's by Charlotte Bronte. It'll be great)


I can not wait until school starts. I've missed the LMTC sooo much. Plus I have an AWESOME homeroom. Chels, I checked out your site. Tres chouette! do you have AIM?? I am now in the mood to talk about books. hmsklrsrockmysox is my SN if you do. later everyone!!

<3 Laura

Sounds like you have been busy Chels...

The website looks fun... The V-Club is one of the ones we purchased last spring, I have it home this summer, but haven't had a chance to read it yet. You'll have to let us know how it is.

Well it is August, has anyone read Witch-Hunt.

Hey there!
So, has anyone besides Chelsey read The Earth, My Butt...

Chels...
I couldn't believe what Virgina's dad would say. I can't ever imagine my dad being forward when talking about someone on TV, I mean I know he has said so and so is cute, but not in the way that Virginia's father did.

Do you think that the family lifestyle and culture seems so different due to our geographic location, finacial situation, etc?

Hey Foster...
Good to hear from you!! Can I say I told you so :)
Sorry I had to.

I am really glad that you enjoyed The House of the Scorpion.

Anybody else think they will pick it up based on Mrs. Foster's change of heart?!?!?

I am currently reading The DaVinci Code (audio) and The Virgin Suicides (5 minutes before bed or until I fall asleep)

The DaVinici Code I don't ever want to turn off. I have made two trips to the WI Dells to help a friend with her new business and would hop in my car again tomorrow if I could :)

Happy Reading...
b

Hi y'all, just jumping in now.  I have been so busy this summer reading about 2 books every week.  I have a whole stack still sitting on my floor.  I will have a ton of books to recommend in the Fall.  I am still reading The earth, my butt, and... I had to read required stuff first.  I will try and be done by this week. 

By the way, I opt. out of House of the Scorpion when we read it last year because I thought I would hate it.  I read it for the class I am taking and I loved it! It was a quick read and very interesting to say the least.  I would recommend if you were like me and pooped out the first time around, you try it.   I would be interested to hear what you guys have to say. 
Hope you are all enjoying your summer.  See you in the Fall. We have 2 full carts of new books! : )
By the way, Laura, did you get that job?

I thought some of you might be interested in this link (if you haven't seen it yet)...
http://www.bookdivas.com/newsletters/teenidol_spotlight.html

Hey!!
This summer I am not doing official reading guides because I am not officially working and they take a bit of work, but here are some questions for The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things:
1.  Do you think Virginia's family is having a healthy impact on her?  Why or why not?
2.  Can you relate to Virginia's situation, if so in what ways?
3.  How are Brie (not our Bri :)) and Virginai a like?
4.  Have you rebeled against your family? friends? anyone? How did you feel afterwards?
5.  Virginia feels as if she doesn't fit with her family?  Have you ever felt this way?  Describe.
6.  Overall, how did this book make you feel?
7.  Have you read anything else by Carolyn Mackler?  Did you like it?
 
Alright, I look forward to hearing your responses. 
 
Happy reading!!
b
 

I read it last november i think. it was good. I still think we should've done This Lullaby or Jane Eyre....

back in holmen area. I'm gonna make my mom get me a library card. Does the holmen library have The Earth...? later days. I.H.n.

<3 Laura

If you are talking about The Earth, My Butt and other Big Round Things I don't know. How are you liking it? I talked to Mrs. Foster last night and she is planning on reading it soon.

If you are talking about Pride and Prejudice I thought we were done discussing it. It is July :)

I do have questions ready to go for The Earth, My Butt and other Big Round Things, but I wasn't sure if anyone was reading it so I didn't post any questions yet.

I just finished The Face of God by Bill Myers. If you want a book to make you think and like suspense you should definately pick it up.

Yes, it really is the time that it says. I just finished reading The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things (even though I should have been reading about the East Asian Civilizations I need to write an essay on for next week). Oh what a great read!! I can't wait to hear what you guys think of it. I can understand why you might not have picked up Pride and Prejudice (I was even a little skeptical), however, this was quite great and I can understand why it received the Printz Honor Award. So, rush to the library and get it. I will be returning the copy I got from La Crosse PL in the next week!! For those of you who like to buy books, it is even that good (I believe it is out in paperback) Enjoy!!

Happy reading and good night!

I haven't been able to go to the library and get the book. I'm trying to get a job right now, and I'm really working on guitar. I plan on getting voice lessons and maybe putting out a cd if I can afford it. So I haven't really had time to look for it.

Besides songs, I'm not really reading anything. I will probably start reading Wuthering Heights in the next couple days.

How is everyone else doing??

<3 Laura

I agree the Bennett (this is the right spelling, I looked it up) family seems to be a bit disfunctional. If I had a mother like Mrs. Bennett I don't think I could have handled it. She stuck her nose in everyone elses business, didn't think about what she said or did and how it would affect her daughters. I felt that Elizabeth and her oldest sister were the most normal.

I am not sure that I would have liked living during that time period, I have to admit the balls and socializing would have been a blast, however, as a woman you couldn't really do as you choosed only as your husband or family chose. How would you feel about this? Would you want to stay at home and just have to entertain? What if you were part of a lower class and had to actually work?

The narrator for the book I listened to is Nadia May.

Are Chelsey and I the only ones reading this???

At the moment I have moved on to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone . I have never listened to it on audion before, but I am enjoying it a great deal. The narrator is OK, but of course the story is still good.

Happy Reading!!

Chels, I think you got the abridged edition because the one I listened to was about 11 CDs and 12 hours or so. I enjoyed my narrators voice and change in characters' voices as well. You know a narrator when listening to an audio book can make or break the book.

Happy reading!!

Yahoo!!! I finished Pride and Prejudice yesterday! Susanna you were right it was a very good book. I am glad I listened to it on audio, I don't think I would have ever finished it in time had I not. How would you describe the Bennet (excuse my spelling, if it is wrong, remember I listened to it) family? Normal? Disfunctional? Would you have wanted to live during that time? Why or why not? I leave you guys with those questions for now, so if you haven't read it I won't spoil it for you :)

Have a great day!!

I found Pride and Prejudice on audio, I will get to read it before the end of the month!! Has anyone started it? Does anyone have anything to say/discuss? I'll be finishing up The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which is a very interesting story of a 15 year-old boy who is mildly autistic and pretty well functions as a "normal" kid, but has some very unusual habits and mannerisms. The book centers around him discovering his neighbor's dog dead on her front lawn and wanting to find out who did it. Along the way he is discovering a few other things. I would highly recommend it. It is a short and quick read! Happy Reading!!!

No prob, Bee. Did anyone go to the Hollywood Theatre thing? I saw a lot of Holmen people there.

I just finished The Old Man and The Sea tonight. I loved it. The entire struggle he went through and the ending is just.... Well, I don't want to ruin it for any of you. But definitely read it. It's by Ernest Hemingway, if you guys didn't know.

Hey Chelsey, I heard there was Princess Diaries 2 coming out. Actually, I just saw it on Disney, started freaking out and thought of you. but email me or post on here. I'm gonna go watch Zenon. Peace out.

<3 Laura

Sorry Laura! I didn't realize you were living in La Crosse this summer... Do you have internet access at home, you can check to see if the South Branch has the books you are looking for by going to the site http://lplcat.lacrosse.lib.wi.us/

This site also allows you to put holds on materials that are at the north branch and the main branch as well as a few others and they will be shipped to your local library, all you need is a library card!! Happy reading...

I will be unable to get together on Thursday, but I would highly reccommend it, have fun.

How is La Crosse, you mean for me?

the days are long, hot and humid, and my friends aren't talking to me. my only friends
are about an inch thick and have a billion words in them. summer is GREAT!!!

do you guys know if the south side library has the books? because it's only three blocks away. the only good thing so far. I'm reading The Old Man and The Sea right now. interesting. But i will definitly find Pride and Prejudice in the next week.

so... what are all of you doing this thursday?? oooo! Idea! we could meet up at... jules coffee or the book store on pearl, and then maybe go to a little something at the Hollywood Theatre... just an idea. i gotta get to sleep now. night!!

<3 Laura

Reality Check!! I started my summer school class yesterday...East Asian Civ. at Winona State. Oh my goodness I bought 6 books, the class is only 5 weeks long!! This bums me out I am going to have to find Pride and Prejudice on CD or I am never going to be able to read it before the end of June!!

I missed you guys while I was out of the country. How is Chippewa Falls, Chelsey? How is Sweden, Susanna? How is Holmen, for the rest of you?

Stop by if you want, I am at HHS in the morning and Mrs. Foster and Mrs. Blank are here all day for the next couple of weeks.

Welcome Dani!! We are all excited to hear a fresh voice!