Goodreads is telling me my reading pace has me 1 book behind making my goal of reading 50 books in 2012. It may be a race to the finish…
Two books to share today.
I don’t usually get phased by “big” books, but Margaret George, historian and historical novelist who specializes in epic fictional biographies, has put forth books that have made me sweat a bit.
At 688 pages, Elizabeth I: The Novel by Margaret George packs a historical punch. The story is a first-person account by the Queen, starting when she is middle-aged. It was a bit of a marathon to read this book but I enjoyed learning about more of the people associated with England’s history during the late 1500s-early 1600s.
On my “to read” list are two other titles by George – The Memoirs of Cleopatra and Mary Called Magdalene .
Switching to a very different genre…
Earlier this Fall I was driving my niece and nephew back home after they spent a night in Madison. They were focused on their iPods so I turned on public radio. You would’ve thought I was making them listen to nails on a chalkboard!
An interview with young adult author Maggie Stiefvater caught their attention. The kids were quietly listening to Steifvater’s description of her new book The Raven Boys. At the end of the interview my nephew, very matter-of-factly said, “Well doesn’t that sound like a good book,” and then went right back to his electronic games. Something particularly intriguing about Stiefvater is that she writes music to accompany stories. You an listen here. Having finished the book last night, this song perfectly fits with the action.
This book was like Harry Potter with older kids, more clairvoyants, a higher intellectual-factor and a creepy-factor. It’s the start of a new trilogy and I can’t wait for the next book.
The book tells the story of a group of boys who go to a private school in Virginia and are on the hunt for ley lines – lines that spirits travel. They meet Blue, the daughter of a clairvoyant, who has the power to increase spiritual energy around her.
I’ll stop there – here’s a preview of the book.
Do you read young adult books? Recommendations?
Apples and Arteries 
That is so awesome that you are reading 50 books this year! I am usually an avid reader but for some reason fell off the wagon this year. I think that is such a good goal to put on my list for 2013.
I think that is so awesome that you are reading 50 books in 2012! I used to be an avid reader but fell off the wagon this year…this will be a great goal for me for my 2013 list.
You can do it! You can easily make up that book! And I read Hunger Games and Divergent, which are two YA books — it’s hard to see the different between adult and YA books these days
hm I haven’t heard of either of these, can’t wait to check these out
I’ve been wanting to read Elizabeth I…and YES, I love young adult books still
The Raven Boys sounds brilliant, will have to look out for that. some young adults books I really like are by Rosemary Sutcliffe. They’re all based in Roman Britain, either from a Roman’s or a tribesman’s point of view and they’re the most beautifully written books ever. If you like English history, I’d recommend Phillippa Gregory, the author of The Other Boleyn Girl. She wrote loads set in Tudor and Stewart times and they’re brilliant 🙂