Hungry for a Good Book?

Ah, the last 2 weeks of school. This is that wonderful time of year when my days are filled with...

...exams.

Administering, proctoring, monitoring. EOCs, NCFEs, TMFEs, CTE....no matter the acronym, grade level, or duty assignment, it makes for some fairly lengthy days. (Unfortunately, the rules say no reading -gasp!- while exams are taking place.)

However, as I walked up and down the rows of tables, students diligently typing answers for online assessments or bubbling tiny circles with their #2 pencils, my gaze occasionally fell upon the fiction books in the center of the media center. And, then, a title would catch my eye. (For any and all aspiring writers, the title and how it's written on the spine can be very important. Forget fancy fonts...too hard to read at a glance.) Some titles, like Unbroken, The Trials of..., or Zombie ? did not attract much attention. Others, however, had me taking note of their location and returning to them once the testing session had concluded. As a result, I have enjoyed several books I might not have noticed otherwise. (That is the problem with over 22,000 titles: you can't read them all!)

How to Ruin My Teenage Life by Simone Elkeles:
I must admit, I had to stifle quite a few giggles since the students had been told by the test administrator to remain quiet. (Testing was still ongoing in the conference room of the media center.) Between the accidental fathering of puppies, the Israeli commando boyfriend, and everything else going on in Amy's life, I couldn't help but smile often during this book. Kudos to Ms. Elkeles for the fabulous voice she created for Amy. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of her "How to Ruin..." series.

Geek High by Piper Banks:
Okay. I'll be honest. I had a preconceived notion of what this book would entail from the title alone. Don't you? Maybe a romance between the geek and the most popular kid at school? Stereotypes galore? Well......you don't always get what you expect. Another believable and funny book complete with mostly wicked stepmother, seemingly wicked stepsister, a school dance, the new school blog, and a host of characters who defy or embrace the label of "geek".  This book is also the first in a series so I have more reading to do!