Heart's Desire

As I am sure you know, I love books with recurring characters.Heart's Desire by Laura Pedersen, is the second book about Hallie Palmer, the college freshman gambler who needs money for her second year of college. Hallie is a gambling wild child, who returns home to her live-in yard person for Bernard and his very strange and delightful mother, Olivia.

The people in her life come to her with all their cares and problems, assuming that Hallie has none, which is so wrong. Her ex-boyfriend is back in town, her gambling problems, her looming tuition bill, her mother is pregnant again, and there is no prospective of love in sight for her.

I laughed, cried and fell deeper in love with Hallie Palmer. You will too.

The Sea of Monsters

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan is the second book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. I loved the first book in the series, The Lightning Thief, and was very excited about reading the second book. I fell in love with Percy and his friends.

Percy is a seventh grader who happens to be in Special Education. He also happens to be a demigod, his father is Poseidon and his mother is a mere mortal. Percy's school year has been relatively calm, no monsters or major catastrophes. That is until a simple dodgeball game turns into a death match with Percy and his friends against an ugly gang of monsters.

Annabeth, Percy's friend, arrives to inform Percy that Camp Half-Blood, the only safe place for demigods, is slowly being poisoned and will be destroyed if a cure is not found. Percy and his friends must travel into the sea of monsters to save his safe haven.

I enjoyed this book a great deal, but not as much as the first one. I continue to recommend this series to all teachers in middle school and high school. It would be a great companion book for those who teach Greek and Roman Mythology.

Sloppy Firsts

As usual, I always need to know what the fuss is about. I just finished the plagiarized book Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty and I enjoyed it a great deal. I can understand why a young author can be "influenced" by this book. Both authors have a great voice and it is sad to see that one author's career is over before it has really begun.

Jessica Darling's best friend, Hope, has moved away, leaving Jessica alone with no one who truly understands her. She is a totally disaster at home and at school. She doesn't deal well with the boy crazy, shopping crazy girls at school, her dad's obsession that she run well at her track meets and her mother's obsession with her sister Brittany's lavish wedding, They are driving her crazy!!! She also doesn't understand her mixed-up feelings toward Marcus Flutie. He's driving her crazy!!!

It was a great book, I enjoyed it so much that I went and got the sequels to it and can't wait to find out what happened to Jessica. High School studnets only.

How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life

Anytime there is something controversial about a book, I have to read it. I always have to see what the big deal is. Reading How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild and Got a Life by Kaavya Visanathan is no exception. The author has been accused of plagiarism by coping passages from other books the author has read and loved.. Maybe she has and maybe she hasn't, I don't know, but I truly loved and enjoyed the book.

Since Opal's birth, her primary focus in life has been to get into Harvard. Her parents have actively supported Opal by planning, with spreadsheets, lists and flow charts, her every activity with getting into Harvard as the goal. When Opal blows her first interview for early admissions and with advice from the Dean of Admissions at Harvard, Opal has to ask herself the question" What do you like to do for fun?" Before Opal can get accepted into Harvard, she must answer the question. Plan HOWGAL ( How Opal Will Get A Life) is immediately set into motion. Opal's parents come up with the flowcharts and spreadsheets that will help her become popular, become wild and get kissed.

I really liked this book and am disappointed by the accusation of plagiarism. I will probably never find out what happens to Opal and her life at Harvard.

Beginner's Luck

I just finished Beginner's Luck by Laura Pedersen, for my f2f book club. I really liked this book, manly because of the characters. Hallie Palmer is the second of seven children with another on the way. She is a poker player and has just been on a losing streak. She has been kicked out of the casino, lost her money for her car, and has been grounded by her parents. She answers an ad in the paper and becomes a yard person for eccentric Mrs Olivia Stockton. Olivia lives with her gay son, Bernard and his partner, Gil, Mrs. Stockton's husband, Judge and an alcoholic money, Rocky. In this anything goes household, Hallie has found a new family and is about to receive the education of her life.

There is a sequel to this book, Heart's Desire. I enjoyed Beginner's Luck so much, that I immediately went and placed the sequel on reserve at the library. I am looking forward to reading about Hallie's newest escapades. I recommend this book for High school students.