Doctor Who Archives Volume 3 by Tony Lee
Doctor Who is always a solid read and perfect for the late night hours (when I actually read this, before falling asleep for a couple of hours - whoops!). Adventure and humor without a lot of complex though. This collection introduces a number of new characters, a couple of complete story arcs, and contains the conclusion of a larger arc as well.
An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason by Virginia Boecker
I think my favorite part about this book is the insanity it paints around the original productions of Shakespeare plays. Constant changes to the text during rehearsal. Men dressed as women and, at times, playing up that reality. The historical context of the plot to assassinate the queen was certainly interesting but it couldn't hold a candle to the image of Shakespeare wandering around like a madman, needlessly inventing words.
My Life as a Diamond by Jenny Manzer
I'm not a sports oriented person. At all. So I generally avoid sports themed books. The exception: when sports are a metaphor for a greater life lesson. And that's the case here. I find that baseball, in particular, is often used as a life metaphor and it works for me. This is a delightful, heartwarming story of self-acceptance and rising above other people's judgement.
It Wasn't Me by Dana Alison Levy
Breakfast Club meets school mystery. A disparate group of middle schoolers realize they don't know much about each other as they are forced to work through which of them committed an act of bullying. My expectations were pretty low but Levy blew me away. While the resolution is exactly what you might expect, the journey is worth it.
Astrid the Unstoppable by Maria Parr
A clever, if decidedly foreign feeling, adventure for fans of Pippi Longstocking and the work of Polly Horvath.
All Our Broken Pieces by L. D. Crichton
Periodically, I read teen romances. Romance is in no way my favorite genre but on occasion a book transcends simple romance, tells a more complex story. This book makes a strong stab at being more. It is, at heart, still a romance and has some tropey, eye-rolling moments and overly convenient plot points. Still, a decent read.
Once again, I find myself generally obligation free during Dewey's Hour Read-a-thon so I figure I'll read today. This is my official starting line post. I'll be posting here as I finish books so check in with me through the day.
