Blogmas 2015

Blogmas 2015. I'm not new to blogging, but I am new to persistence. If you don't know, Blogmas is posting every day during the month of December. It's a big goal, but I'm gonna give it a go! No promises! Wish me luck!

Can I Do It?!

I go to a book club every month at our public library for Black-Eyed Susans for grades 6-9. Last month I didn't finish the book. IN FACT, I am STILL trying to finish the book!! I have to put it down right now though because I just realized that I have 12 days to read December's book!!! O M G!! I am not a fast reader. SO...I made a schedule which I'm lousy at keeping to, but I'm going to try because it really stinks to be sitting in a book club and be the only one who has not read the book...and everyone is about 33 years younger than you.

From book to Disney

Has your tween girl watched the Disney movie Descendants? I have to say, it's a pretty good movie and my daughter was dying to read the book. After a long library wait, she devoured it. She's not normally a quick reader, but she got through it within a couple weeks. 

Opinion? Not at all like the movie! She said that she didn't even know how they got the movie from the book! She said the book was okay, but a little slow. Does she recommend the book? Sure. Not a bad read, but a bit let down after seeing the movie first.

I would be interested in knowing if the book would be better had she not seen the movie.

Library Crafts

This is what I like to call library crafts! LOL In our library we have little pink smiley faces on all of our lower level nonfiction books. These books are perfect for our younger readers to read all on their own! The words are bigger and there are fewer per page and there are some really good pictures. Nonfiction books are very important for all age levels. This is where many kids learn about their world and the books are important reference sources. 

OCD Readers

This is how I got the books in the bin! The kids arranged them so nicely. I think this was 3rd grade? Too funny!!

I've Got The Box Sets!!!

Haven't read this yet? Why? Under a rock? WELL HOP OUT!! I LOVE this series so much that I refuse to read the last 2 because I don't want it to end. I bought the first box set this summer with the first 4 books. I got the 2nd box set for my birthday. I'm waiting for the 3rd box set to come out. 

The series is a mother and daughter team effort by P. C. Cast and her daughter Kristin Cast (Yes, she wrote this month's For Funnies book Amber Smoke). The whole series is about a teenage girl named Zoey who becomes a vampire and has to leave and live at the Tulsa chapter of the House of Night. The Headmistress, Neferet, eventually becomes evil and it's up to Zoey to save the day. That is a BRIEF summary of the series. There are love stories and friendships and some real scary poop. It's about trust and betrayal and family. It's definitely for those who enjoy the paranormal genre.

The first book in the series is "Marked". Try it out and see how you like it!

For Review - Update

The Night Gardener

By Jonathan Auxier

I had to read this last month. It was my book club's book and since I had some work I had to do, I didn't finish it. Trying to kill two birds with one stone...it's also a Advanced Reader Copy SO I can catch up with my book club AND review at the same time. 

This book is CREEPY!!! Great spooky book for this time of year. The target audience is 10+ which I think is pretty good. A young 10 may be a little too freaked out. Nothing "bad" happens (well, so far). It's just creepy with shadows and I strange guy and stuff like that. So far, a book mom or dad would have to browse through and make up their own minds. I can see it giving kids nightmares or at the very least, making sleep a little hard to come by on a school night. 

I think the storyline is extremely creative and written exceptionally well. Not too much given out and details slowly drawn out to give that feeling of suspense. I'm digging it!!

For Funsies - Update

Amber Smoke

Book One: The Escaped

By Kristin Cast

Kristin Cast is way cool. If you have a Facebook account, then look her up. She posts often. This is Kristin's very first new series. She co-wrote the House of Night series with her mom, P. C. Cast. You don't know the House of Night series? Crawl out from under your rock and pick up the first book "Marked". OMG!! Loved it! I not only loved the whole series...I had to buy all the books. I'm not a regular book buyer because it gets me into trouble with the hubby. They kinda stack up quick. Anywoo!!..."The Escaped" so far is pretty good. I'm halfway through. It was a rather slow start for me, but the story framework I guess had to be laid out. It picked up REALLY quick when Eva was kidnapped by "Bill" and locked up in that basement with that weird metal table. Man, I don't like medical equipment stuff like that. Major fright scene!! Alek saved her though, but by then I was way too freaked out. 

So far I'm really intrigued. Amber Smoke is a beginning of a new series so there will be other books to follow. They have a touch of mythology to them. So far I've been introduced to the Furies, Tartarus and the Oracle of Pythia. Hmmmm...very intriguing.

What's It All About

Hello again...I just wanted to say (well, type) a few word about what The Library Larvae is all about. First, what is a library larvae. Think about it...it's a book worm!! LOL

Typically, there really isn't a true "book worm". There are many different kinds of larvae that feed on wood and since paper is made from wood, then it would only make sense that worms may find their way into a book to munch. True "book borers"are not very common, but if the book so happens to be near a supply of wood then there really isn't anything stopping the little soft-bodied creature to keep on going straight through the book. There are some louse-type critters that will feed off the stuff like mold and bacteria that will grow on book pages if they are left in damp places. Now there is a "bookworm" moth/larvae, but it is more interested in cotton and tobacco plants than in books. Anything that is paper is subject to little critters munching on it. Silverfish will dine on books as well. The popular term "bookworm" did come from the different critters found in books and refers to anyone who has their nose stuck in a book at all times. 

In my opinion...it's better to have your nose stuck in a book than in other people's business!

The Library Larvae is a blog that reviews, discusses and generally revolves around youth and teen literature. That's not meaning that there may never be any adult books too, but mostly younger books. This is a great time to be a young reader and I want to entice as many kids ESPECIALLY TEENS to pick up those books and read!!!!

Why do I love to read? Because I can be and I can do anything I want to in a book! I can go live on the moon or down into the depths of the ocean. I can be a rock star or I can be the new kid in town. I can have magical powers and the fate of the whole world can rest on my shoulders or I can find someone with the same thoughts and feelings that I have. Mostly importantly...I can be a vampire. LOL

The Library Larvae wants to make reading exciting and get those teens back into the library and book stores of the world! 

Welcome!

Welcome to The Library Larvae! This blog is new, but I am not. I've been playing around on Of Pen and Parchment which is a website/blog for writers AND readers since both rely on each other. I thought that it would be interesting to have a blog that reflects both reading and writing, but that has turned into quite a hard task and I find myself gravitating more towards the reading side. Of Pen and Parchment has a website as well and I think that I may keep the website, but the blog may go.

Let me tell you a bit about myself. I love books! You know those little ball pits? Well, I'd love to roll around in a book pit!! I've been a reader all of my life and I'm SO jealous that today's youth has some pretty amazing books to read. I grew up with Judy Blume who really wasn't so bad, but today we have Rick Riordan and Brandon Mull and Chris Grabenstein and SO many others!! Books today are fantastical and adventurous and you know what?...I attribute J. K. Rowling and Harry Potter for ushering it all in. I really believe children's literature took a turn with the Harry Potter series and it has become every bit as interesting as adult fiction.

Oh about me...I don't think age is important at this point. Let's just say I'm older than the target audience of most of the books that I read.

I'm married with two teens. One is a reader (kinda) and one truly believes that he's allergic to books. He shrieks like a vampire in the summer sunshine when books are mentioned. I work part-time as an assistant librarian in our local elementary school and I also review books and manage the blog for our local book store ~ Edgewater Books. Once a month I check out the middle school book club at our local library. I really look forward to those meets. I enjoy listening to the opinions of the kids and it's a small club. I enjoy creating websites, photography, writing and volunteering in my community.  That's my life and that's me!