Let it Snow...But I Hope it's Not Snowing.

So recently I read the book Let it Snow which has three stories by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle. I picked it up because I'm a fan of An Abundance of Katherines which is by John Green as well. I keep meaning to read his others but I never find them in the library when I'm there. Which is very sad. Anyway, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle are also names in the YA field (Johnson's written 13 Little Blue Envelopes, etc and Myracle wrote TTYL...Which I haven't read on principle, as it is like naming a book LOL or something). However, after reading this book I think I will definitely read some more by both of these writers.

This was a really good book to read on a snowy day near Christmas, which I just so happened to do. All the stories are interconnected, which I didn't realize until I was halfway through the second one. However, an observant reader would probably read all of the back of the book before buying. The stories were entertaining and dealt with love and friendship and the holiday season.

The first story "The Jubilee Express" is about a girl (Jubilee) who has to leave town in a hurry to get to her grandparents. Jubilee ends up in a snowbound train and meets some interesting folks in a town, including a very intriguing boy. This may have been my least favorite of the three, solely because I think Johnson needed more space to tell her story. It was still well written and entertaining.

Green's story, "A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle" was my favorite. In it, Tobin and two of his best friends (including The Duke, a girl) try to make it to a Waffle House in a blizzard. It made me sad that there was only one short novella/story about these quirky characters. Guess I'll have to pick up Paper Towns or Looking for Alaska to get a Green fix.

The last story, "The Patron Saint of Pigs" is about a girl who is a bit of a drama queen and who has kind of ruined her own life. Myracle also brings together most of the main characters in the end.

The things I liked least about this book was that it was a book of stories...Which I knew when I bought it. So I suppose it is actually a kind of a compliment to the writers. I thought that each of the authors wrote about characters and happenings that could easily stand on their own and would have liked to see them fleshed out more. It helped that the stories were interconnected, especially since all the characters ended up in the same place at the end.

Another exciting thing in this book was the...Waffle House! Where I'm from, there are no Waffle Houses, so I've always counted them and tried to go in while on vacation in the South. Sadly, however, it has not yet happened. However, the hashbrowns sound really good as described in this book.

I would recommend this book to teens who would enjoy holiday themed romances with a bit of quirk.

Snow Day!

The Midwest is no stranger to snow. In fact, one of the things that gives Midwesterners great joy during the winter season is watching people, say in Austin or Las Vegas, scurry around for 1-2 inches of snow. To be fair, we're just as clueless with other types of weather. What are you supposed to do during earthquakes? Actually, I should figure that out...This area's had a couple mild ones in the last few years.

So today we're having snow. Possibly some sleet. I think we've gotten around 8-10 inches. This brings me great joy as it means I can wear my pajamas until the afternoon, curl up the couch and reread some old favorites. I'm thinking "The Forgotten Beasts of Eld" by Patricia A. McKillip. It's a book about Sybel, a Sorceress living alone on a mountaintop, her only company being the strange and magical animals that she cares for. It's also a story about staying true to yourself, which I think everyone needs a bit of.

I really love all of McKillip's writing. Her style is very lyrical and careful. I say careful not because I think she plays it safe. However, every word is chosen because it is the best word for what she wants to convey. It's quite beautiful. I will say that most of her writing will require your full attention, however, if you want to understand what she's writing about.

Welcome!

Hello to all and sundry...Possibly meaning my friends who I tell about this new blog of mine. As for the reasons that I'm making this blog...Well, I like to pretend to dabble in Library 2.0 so here I am. I thought it would be nice to have some sort of area where I could post book reviews, thoughts on working in a library, patron experiences (if I get some patrons someday) and so on.

As for me: I'm 24 and living in the Midwest. I just finished up my third semester of library school meaning that it's almost time for me to become an adult and graduate! That's my cue to stop blogging and cower in my closet. I am excited about becoming an actual librarian though and I hope to work in Youth Services.

I don't currently have any death-defying feats to blog about, however, once I actually get in the field I anticipate many! Stories of sneezes I dodged! Children who didn't throw things at me when I was singing during storytime! Yes, feel that excitement!