Ms. Zierenberg-Senge's Book Log! by CZierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog Here are the books I've read from 2016-2018 en-us 2016-08-23 18:58:46 UTC 2025-10-12 18:55:37 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Removelove.png Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/119454722 I am a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson and after reading his first three Mistborn books, I was so excited to see that he created a new off shoot with these fun characters! This is the third book in this new series, following Allomancers Wax, Wayne and Marasi. I love the old west feel of these fantasy novels and think Sanderson is doing a great job with the plot and relationships between the characters. I really enjoyed reading this book this summer! ]]> 2016-08-23 19:06:33 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/119454722 Fair Isn't Always Equal by Rick Wormeli czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/119455857 This was my "teacher read" of the summer. I felt really good while reading it, as it affirmed a lot of my own beliefs as a teacher. Plus, I got to talk about it with Mrs. Meindl since she had also read it (and knows the author), so that was really fun. ]]> 2016-08-23 19:11:19 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/119455857 Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/119456456 Okay, so I don't venture out of my Science Fiction/Fantasy bubble very often, but I really loved this biography. I heard about this book last year and really wanted to check it out since I admire RBG so much. She is such an incredible woman and it was so cool to learn about what she has done for women's rights over the years (before and after she became a supreme court justice). Great read!]]> 2016-08-23 19:13:27 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/119456456 Morning Star by Pierce Brown czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/119457352 A few years ago, Mrs. Meindl and Mrs. Bibayoff recommended that I check out Red Rising. I did and loved it. This is the third and final book in the series and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. While it did feel at times that our narrator, Darrow, went a bit long with his emotional reflections, the drama of the plot and engaging characters kept my interest.]]> 2016-08-23 19:17:30 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/119457352 A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/119458004 WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS SOME MORE ADULT CONTENT.

Okay, so I LOVE Sarah J. Maas's writing style. I am addicted to her Throne of Glass series, and last year I read the first book in her Court of Thorns and Roses Trilogy. I liked it (even though I like Celaena Sardothien as a protagonist so much more!!). In this book, the beauty and the beast storyline takes a new turn as Rhys becomes the main love interest. I liked the development of the characters and loved how much darker this story seemed, but hesitate to recommend it to all readers as it has some more mature scenes. ]]> 2016-08-23 19:20:05 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/119458004 Calamity by Brandon Sanderson czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/120964589 Okay, so I had to wait FOREVER to get this book from the library. I loved  the first book, Steelheart and the sequel Firefight. The whole idea of super heroes being the bad guys is interesting to me. I really liked the characters and how they were developed and think that Sanderson did a good job taking their story somewhere new in Calamity.]]> 2016-08-31 21:27:43 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/120964589 Angel Catbird by Margaret Atwood czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/127911647 Margaret Atwood is this totally awesome science fiction writer. She has written some really famous books and is known for having this cool and sometimes creepy ability to build futuristic worlds. When I heard that she was working on a graphic novel, I was stoked! Angel Catbird is strange and she is definitely going for that vintage 1950s comic style. I am not sure how I feel about this series. There were things I really liked (hello, cat genes mixed with owl genes mixed with super scientist genes!), but I didn't get sucked into the characters like I usually do. Some parts were pretty cheesy, but it does fit the genre she was writing in, so yeah... 
ps. if you like weird facts about cats, check out the footnotes she added. That was pretty fun. ]]> 2016-10-03 15:21:17 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/127911647 Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/130181186 I have been waiting for this book for months! My nerdy book club read all of her other books, and was so excited for this one because we all thought it was going to be the climax of the series... but we were wrong! It ended on a total cliff-hanger and now I have to wait till next year for her final book to be published. Grr... That said, this book was very gripping, with new relationships developing throughout the novel. It was a bit more mature than her last ones, so readers be warned...]]> 2016-10-12 16:05:52 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/130181186 Everything, Everything  czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/132474062 This book was a departure for me from the usual sci-fi/fantasy genres I read. It is realistic young adult fiction and is primarily a love story about a "bubble girl" and the boy next door. I really enjoyed the story line and the main character, Maddy was really unique. I loved her sketches and her sense of humor, despite her sad  situation--never being able to leave her house because she has a rare disease where she is allergic to everything. The relationship between Maddy and her mom is super complicated, and I like that it doesn't end with everything resolved between them. Overall,  really fun read.]]> 2016-10-22 02:55:21 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/132474062 Bridget Jones's Baby: The Diaries by Helen Fielding czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/134308541 So I read the first couple books in this series years ago, but heard that this one was turned into a movie (came out in Sept) and I felt totally behind. I wanted to make sure I read the book before the movie came out on Redbox. It was funny and I love the voice of this eccentric crazy Brit caught between her singleton friends and her stuck up mom friends! This one is definitely an adult book, so I don't recommend it for students under 16 years of age. ]]> 2016-10-31 17:45:05 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/134308541 Something New czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/139225702 I really liked her book Relish, so I decided to read this one. It was okay, but kind of slow and since I already did my DIY wedding thing, I wasn't super interested in all of the wedding details. ]]> 2016-11-21 21:55:36 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/139225702 The Enchantress by James Maxwell czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/142123469 I read this book because it looked fun on Amazon. It wasn't as well written as I would have liked, but I appreciated the storyline and the world building, for sure. I like that it is about a brother and sister and that they discover who they truly are through the course of the novel. I might check out book 2... We'll see. ]]> 2016-12-06 18:58:40 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/142123469 Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/145161833 Warning: This is definitely not a kid book. Lots of violence, cussing and

I read it for my book club and it is funny, and witty and violent and gross and awesome. The characters are totally off the wall, but the messages of class equality, treating people fairly and money doesn't buy happiness are all super strong. ]]> 2017-01-03 19:43:04 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/145161833 Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/145163486 This was another book club pick. It was also recommended by Mrs. Ferran. I love the story within a story aspect, and how the main character, Quothe]]> 2017-01-03 19:50:00 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/145163486 Heirs of Empire by Evan Currie czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/145413047 I read this book honestly because it was like a dollar on Kindle. It was action packed and I did like the main character (she's pretty rad), so I think it was worth reading. That said, it wasn't the best book ever and I don't think I'd recommend it to others. ]]> 2017-01-05 06:02:01 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/145413047 World War Z Audiobook by Max Brooks czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/149414962 Okay, so this was super cool. I read this book a few years ago but am trying to get into audio books when I drive to work in the morning. It was so fun to listen to because the actors played the different characters who were interviewed in the book. It felt so serious and real and scary, and well, entertaining. ]]> 2017-01-25 18:14:06 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/149414962 The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/149416884 I absolutely loved Stieg Larson's Millennium series when I read the books years ago. I remember when this one came out, I felt like I would NEVER read it. The original author died and Lagercrantz got the blessing of his family to take his notes and write this book. It definitely isn't the same, but at the same time, it was really fun to reconnect with Lisbeth Salander. She is one of my favorite literary characters and I loved having more of her violent, complex and mysterious past revealed. Her evil twin definitely makes this book worth checking out, even if it didn't have the same magic as Larson's writing. ]]> 2017-01-25 18:19:25 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/149416884 Behind the Throne by K.B. Wagers czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/149418395 This is my January book club read and oh, my goodness! So fun! The protagonist is so strong, smart and assertive. The story line is King Arthur meets Star Wars, with an Indian cultural spin. I really enjoyed reading this book and am totally going to check out the second one, too. ]]> 2017-01-25 18:24:12 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/149418395 Valor's Choice by Tanya Huff czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/150990554 I have read this author in the past, but had no idea that she wrote science fiction! This is my second audio book this year, and I am hooked on the series (I just checked out the second book and am listening to it now). The protagonist is super smart and witty. Staff-Sargent Kerr is her name and I'm totally a fan. This book sets off as the confederation is trying to convince a new alien species to join their alliance. But at what cost does their ]]> 2017-02-01 20:57:36 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/150990554 Truthwitch by Susan Dennard czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/150991926 Ahhh!! I forgot to log this one! I read it at the beginning of the school year and I am excited because the second one is out! It is full of adventure and I love the relationship between the protagonists, Safiya and Iseult. They are best friends and would kill or die for each other. I liked how they aren't perfect (they are thieves in the beginning of the book), but evolve into really complicated and complex characters. ]]> 2017-02-01 21:02:43 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/150991926 The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/151191442 Every year, I re-read this book with my students and it is always entertaining. The drama, the action, the relationships between characters, the relatable issues--it all works! I love the conversations that happen in my classes around this book. "Stay Gold Ponyboy, Stay Gold..."]]> 2017-02-02 16:10:58 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/151191442 Paper Girls Vol.#2 czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/154417886 I am a huge fan of Brian Vaughan. He comes up with some of the best lines... "back to the futured!" So fun! The second volume did not disappoint!]]> 2017-02-16 18:36:09 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/154417886 Wild Cards 1 edited by George RR Martin czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/154421561 This was one of my book club books this month and I'm not sure what I think about it. I love George R.R. Martin, and the concept for this compilation of short stories is super cool, but it was really hard to bounce between all of the different writing styles. Some of the stories were super cool, but some I had a hard time reading. Overall, I don't think I'm going to read any more in this crazy big series. I think I will check out the TV series when it gets created (UPC just purchased the rights). ]]> 2017-02-16 18:44:49 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/154421561 After the Crown by KB Wagers czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/156111101 I am so ready to read book three!! I love Hail and thought that this book was so fun because she was on the run and got sucked back into the gunrunner world referenced in book one. ]]> 2017-02-24 18:38:06 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/156111101 You Can't Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/156112322 Oh, my gosh! I mean, she is a comedian, so of course, I was expecting the book to be funny, but it went beyond my expectations. This book looks at race and gender and pop culture in such a humorous and real way. LOVED it. ]]> 2017-02-24 18:42:03 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/156112322 The Better Part of Valor by Tanya Huff czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/156113780 I am continuing on my audiobook kick. This is #3 this year (and the second one in Huff's Confederation Series). The humor and sarcasm were fun and again, the protagonist, Staff Sargent Kerr, was super engaging. Fun stuff!]]> 2017-02-24 18:46:44 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/156113780 The Rise of Io by Wesley Chu czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/157114482 This book has a scrappy protagonist, takes place in futuristic India slums, and is full of action. It is like an "Alien Bodysnatchers" meets like "Coming of Age" in the time of war novel. Ella and Io's story is interesting and I'm glad I took the chance to read it. ]]> 2017-03-01 17:56:56 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/157114482 Imprudence by Gail Carriger czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/163488127 I really enjoy this writer's take on Victorian society. She writes these fun supernatural novels that are set in the 1800s, and totally poke fun at uptight, stuffy British sensibilities. I love the adventure and action that help move the storyline along, but also how the author includes diverse and traditionally marginalized characters. ]]> 2017-03-29 16:55:58 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/163488127 Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/167947947 I just finished this audiobook (finally! I had to check it out twice from the library because it is so long). I really liked the characters, the plot line with betrayals, and the relationship between the Blackthorn siblings, but I am having the same issue I had with Cassandra Clare's other series... The love thing is just soooo tortured and sappy! She always has these fun, brave characters who through the course of the series, fall in love and then have huge obstacles that get in the way of their relationship. They pine away for each other and it does get hard to read. ]]> 2017-04-24 19:12:52 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/167947947 Babylon's Ashes by James S.A. Corey czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/167957661 K, so I LOVE this series... I started it several years ago, and it is just so good. The crew of the Roci are super fun to follow and the other characters who the story follows like Michio Pa, Avasarala, etc... are complex unique. It is a great space opera and I am loving the SyFy show, too. ]]> 2017-04-24 19:51:45 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/167957661 Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/167959116 Strange the Dreamer is the newest book from Laini Taylor, the same author as Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It follows Laslo and Sarai, two dreamers connected to the mysterious city, Weep. Taylor does a masterful job of spinning this beautifully tragic tale with her descriptive and haunting prose. 
Laslo has grown up his entire life feeling like an outcast, a man who never fit into society, until he has the opportunity to travel to Weep with a contingent of scholars on a quest. He has spent years obsessing about this place that disappeared from the rest of the world when he was just a child. 
Sarai also feels like she doesn’t belong, but her world is much smaller. She and four other blue gods live in fear of the humans who murdered their parents and siblings. Using her magical power of controlling dreams, she has spent her life invading the dreams of the citizens of Weep, trying to keep them from coming back to kill her. Sarai and the other child gods are trapped in the mysterious blue floating city above Weep, the city that Laslo and the other scholars have come to move or destroy.  
The novel does a wonderful job of creating this magical world and developing the relationship between Laslo and Sarai. However, Taylor leaves us with a cliffhanger ending, setting up a disturbing sequel.
 

]]> 2017-04-24 19:58:20 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/167959116 An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/167967488 This is another audiobook that I read recently. I really liked switching back and forth between Laia and Elias, as they are both such interesting characters and the story has lots of action and suspense. ]]> 2017-04-24 20:41:57 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/167967488 Serenity: Leaves on the Wind by Zack Whedon (and Joss Whedon exec. producer) czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/167968996 So I am a total nerd, and I loved the TV show Firefly, and was totally bummed when it was canceled. I own the series and the movie Serenity, too. This book takes picks up where the movie leaves off. I've read the other graphic novels of the show's characters, but I liked this one the best. ]]> 2017-04-24 20:50:42 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/167968996 Andromeda's Fall by William C. Dietz czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/168687080 I see this author's books come up as recommendations for me a lot on Amazon, so I thought I'd give his work a go. I have been on this sci-fi kick lately, so this seemed like a good book to check out. I also really enjoyed Tanya Huff's military space books, so yeah... But I realize that the difference is that in her books, the main character was super engaging. McKee (the lead in Dietz's book) just didn't seem as multi-faceted as she could have been. She has a great back story and the premise was good, but I just wasn't hooked by the actual writing. I don't think I'm going to check out the rest of this series. ]]> 2017-04-27 16:25:17 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/168687080 Wires and Nerve by Marissa Meyer czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/168689825 I LOVE the Cinder series, and Iko was totally one of my favorite characters. For that reason alone, I was bound to love Meyer's first graphic novel. So fun!! It picks up where the series left off, and while the characters are obviously different than I had envisioned them, I think the artist did a great job. ]]> 2017-04-27 16:33:34 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/168689825 Windwitch by Susan Dennard czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/170269114 So this story picks up where Truthwitch left off. I'm not sure how much I liked this it sincemy favorite part of Truthwitch was the relationship between Iseult and Safi and they were separated for most of the book. I do think Iseult stood out as stronger in this book and Merik's disfigurement made him a more interesting character. I like that the male love interests are very flawed but still redeemable.  ]]> 2017-05-05 20:24:22 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/170269114 God Save the Queen by Kate Locke czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/170269906 This is an urban fantasy series that I have been reading... It is total escapist fun. I got it on audiobook, so it was pretty funny hearing the bad English and Scottish accents. The plot picked up with the theme of testing on vampire/werewolf/goblin half-bloods, and I did like the character of Aly, even though she was pretty tragically splintered. Note, this book did have lots of cussing, so I wouldn't recommend it for younger readers. ]]> 2017-05-05 20:30:59 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/170269906 All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/171950175 I got this book recommendation off of a blog post and decided to try it out. It mixes science fiction and fantasy as the two protagonists represent science and magic. It is a pretty weird book, but I really liked it. I loved how Laurence and Patricia bonded through being bullied horribly in school, but own the nerdy qualities that make them unique and special. I also liked that the adult section of the novel (in the first half, they are children, and the other half is when they reconnect as adults) takes place in a futuristic San Fransisco. ]]> 2017-05-15 20:51:11 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/171950175 Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/171951276 I've been reading this series for a few years now. It is dark, but I really like the concept. The idea is that native creatures and spirits kind of lease the land to humans, who are abusing nature and trying to wrestle control for themselves. The protagonist is a blood prophet, Meg, and she is hiding from humans in the courtyard, land that is controlled by shapechangers. This book focuses a lot on Officer Montgomery, a cop who is working with the courtyard to try to help humans coexist peacefully. His evil brother shows up and causes trouble, putting the everyone at risk. ]]> 2017-05-15 20:58:34 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/171951276 The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/172113314 Mrs. Ferran recommended that I read the novel, The Name of the Wind, and I totally loved it. This is a short novella in that series that looks closely at the character Auri. I'm kind of torn on this book. I liked the concept, and I really like Auri, but maybe it was that I listened to it on audiobook, the rambling thoughts of this unbalanced character were hard to listen to on the way to work. ]]> 2017-05-16 15:01:51 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/172113314 Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/174028680 This is the newest installment of a series I have been reading for years. I'm not really sure why I keep reading it, except that they are brainless and escapist. This one was better as it took place in cool foreign locations, but I wasn't really into the whole kidnapped by European vampires plotline. I wouldn't really recommend this one for young adults. ]]> 2017-05-26 17:38:18 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/174028680 As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/174887859 Oh, Flavia de Luce, how I adore you! I started reading this series years ago on my mom's recommendation and the books are so fun! The protagonist is this feisty little British girl, obsessed with chemistry, death, and poisons, who solves murder mysteries. In this book, she has been "banished" to a boarding school in Canada and on her first night in her new dorm room, discovers a headless corpse stuffed up the chimney. She then spends the rest of her stint at Miss Bodycote's Female Academy prying into everyone's secrets and solving the crime. Love it! ]]> 2017-06-01 21:16:16 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/174887859 A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/174888477 Finally!! A sense of closure to a Sarah J. Maas Series! I really love this author, but my biggest complaint is that her books never reach a conclusion. In this series, I feel like she left it open to more books, but also resolved the big bad danger facing Feyre and Rhys. Yay!! As I mentioned in my previous post about these books, I wouldn't really recommend them to less mature readers as there are a lot of intimate love scenes. ]]> 2017-06-01 21:22:51 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/174888477 Fool's Quest by Robin Hobb czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666111 I picked this book because I started reading this author when I was in college. I love her writing. This series picks up with her two lead characters from a previous series later on in life. Fitz's daughter has been taken and he is rediscovering his assassin skills to try to get her back. The Fool is on a mission to destroy the people who tortured him and is trying to get Fitz's help. ]]> 2017-08-10 21:53:53 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666111 Kindred by Octavia Butler (Graphic novel: Damian Duffy and John Jennings czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666194 I had already read this novel, but I was excited to check out the Graphic novel version. It did not disappoint! This book was about a woman who time travels back to when her ancestors were in enslaved in the United States and has to save her slave-owning great grandfather. It was really good and thought provoking. ]]> 2017-08-10 21:55:04 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666194 Cold Magic by Kate Elliott czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666289 I read this author a long time ago and I thought I'd check out her new series. It was kinda cool. The concept was fire mages and ice mages and the main character is caught between sides. She has magical abilities but doesn't really understand where they came from. ]]> 2017-08-10 21:56:14 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666289 Cold Steel by Kate Elliott czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666354 This is the second book in the series. The main character found out more about herself and her powers. It had lots of action and adventure and kept me hooked. ]]> 2017-08-10 21:57:06 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666354 Cold Fire by Kate Elliott czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666456 This was the last book in this series and while it wasn't my favorite book in the series, it wrapped up the story pretty well. There was a sense of closure for both Cat and Bee, as they each survive their magical challenges and find partners suited to their personalities and skills. ]]> 2017-08-10 21:58:06 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666456 The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666491 Okay, imagine librarian who solves mysteries and goes on action-packed adventures to different worlds. Her side-kick, yeah, he's a dragon. ]]> 2017-08-10 21:58:29 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666491 The Masked City by Genevieve Cogman czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666579 In this one, Kai is kidnapped and Irene must travel to a different world to try to save him. Totally a fun read!]]> 2017-08-10 21:59:38 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666579 The Burning Page by Genevieve Cogman czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666607 In this one, Irene's arch enemy is back and she must work to defeat him and save the library she loves. She negotiates between fae and dragons, and ends up saving the day with the help of Kai and her Sherlock-esque detective/love interest. ]]> 2017-08-10 22:00:03 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666607 The Assassin's Fate by Robin Hobb czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666664 I totally cried at the end of this book, despite all of the foreshadowing Hobb laid along the way. I think the fact that I started reading about these characters years ago made me feel really invested in their fate. Fitz and Fool end up accomplishing their goal and saving Bea, but the cost is so great! Despite my tears, I felt that the author's ending did these characters justice. ]]> 2017-08-10 22:00:52 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666664 The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666726 This book messed with my emotions and my head. It is a fantasy novel, with elements of post-apocalyptic and dystopian societies weaved in. As a reader, I empathized with the narrator(s) and cried at their losses. The society is so unjust, and the lengths they go to in order to survive had me on the edge of my seat. ]]> 2017-08-10 22:01:43 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666726 The Norse Code by Greg van Eekhout czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666792 I was desperate for a book to read, so I grabbed this one. Eh. The characters were interesting and I liked the Norse mythology aspects, but on the whole, I just didn't get pulled into the story. ]]> 2017-08-10 22:02:47 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666792 Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666865 I LOVE this book. It is a post-apocalyptic adventure spanning decades. As readers, we follow a theater troupe as it travels the remains of civilization. We jump back in time, witnessing the ruined marriages and terrible choices of a dead actor, finally realizing the connections in the doomed world. Whoa. Super cool. ]]> 2017-08-10 22:03:55 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666865 The (Sort of) Dark Mage by Nelson Chereta czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666973 This book was so not good. It was my book club's choice and honestly, I just couldn't get into it. I listened to it when I was putting my baby to bed and it was boring and poorly written. I have no idea how I got to the end, and I am not reading the rest of the series. ]]> 2017-08-10 22:05:19 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/180666973 The 5 Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/183543001 This was my designated non-fiction of the summer and I am really glad I read it. I feel like I understand my students, my own child (and my husband) better.]]> 2017-08-29 21:41:29 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/183543001 The Broken Kingdom by N.K. Jemisin czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/183543421 In this book, the second in the series, we follow a blind artist who has magical abilities she doesn't really understand. She is kidnapped by a cult, falls in love with not one, but two gods, and ends up discovering that she has more power than anyone imagined. ]]> 2017-08-29 21:44:41 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/183543421 The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/183543433 This definitely starts the series off with a bang! In this world, gods have become slaves to an enormous family of mortals who abuse their power and rule the world without pity. We follow our narrator, estranged granddaughter, Yiene Darr, who has inherited the crown but wants to bring the whole kingdom down and free the gods... Or become one?]]> 2017-08-29 21:44:44 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/183543433 The Kingdom of the Gods by N. K. Jemisin czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/183543492 This is the last book in the series and follows the god of childhood who has somehow become mortal by befriending a pair of mortal twins. He is an engaging narrator and his development as a character was engaging. ]]> 2017-08-29 21:45:10 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/183543492 Shattered Warrior by Sharon Shinn czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/185910494 My husband picked this up at the library thinking I would like it. It is a science fiction graphic novel with a strong female protagonist. I did like it, even though it was kind of predictable. ]]> 2017-09-08 15:21:54 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/185910494 The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/185910585 Mimi recommended this one and it is SO GOOD!! The language is sometimes more mature, but the story is just so important. Starr is such a compelling protagonist and her thoughts and reactions are so real. I cried at the loss of her childhood friend and the injustice she witnesses in her community. ]]> 2017-09-08 15:22:06 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/185910585 Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/185911410 This book was really gripping. It is about children who come back to the "real world" after experiencing "Narnia-esque" adventures in other lands. How do they adapt? How do they survive? In some cases, they don't in this book. Watch for becoming too attached to the characters, FYI. It is a mystery and a fantasy and I loved it. Two of the main characters are dealing with gender expectations; one is Trans and the other is an Ace. Mrs. Bibayoff recommended it and I am so glad I checked it out. ]]> 2017-09-08 15:23:54 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/185911410 END OF 2016/17 SCHOOL YEAR! czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/187609581 2017-09-14 15:17:06 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/187609581 Hunger Makes the Wolf by Alex Wells czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/187610243 I checked out this book because the description reminded me of the novel, Dune, and it sounded really interesting. It takes place on a world at the end of the universe, where new travelers are recruited to work in the mines in horrible conditions. Our protagonist, Hob, is part of a motorcycle mercenary group, The Ghost Wolves, and has a power called witchiness, that she has to hide. The corporation that owns the planet created a creepy super-being, called the Weatherman, who has the power to transport ships across space but also hunt down humans who have "changed" on the planet and been contaminated with these special powers. I really liked this book and am hoping the author writes more!]]> 2017-09-14 15:18:22 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/187610243 The Obelisk Gate by NK Jemisin czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/188517605 This is the second book in the Broken Earth series and oh, my goodness, it is so good! There is definitely a reason this author keeps winning the Hugo award for these books. Essun, the narrator, and her daughter Nassun are super engaging characters. They are broken people, dealing with horrible situations and making questionable choices that you understand, but are also horrified by at the time. I can't wait to read the last book in the series! Come on library hold...]]> 2017-09-18 15:26:29 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/188517605 Sourdough by Robin Sloan czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/191867197 I just finished listening to the audiobook version of this and I am going to miss it on my commute! It is such a fun book. I loved Lois, the computer programming protagonist and her adventures with the mysterious sourdough starter. Such a great read!]]> 2017-09-27 20:13:07 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/191867197 She Wolf and Cub by Lilith Saintcrow czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/191868968 I really like this author, so I decided to check out her newest book from the library. As usual, she has a strong female narrator, this time a cyborg assassin who decides to save a child she has been hired to kill. As they flee the corporation that owns Abby, she discovers her child's strange secret. It is violent and action-packed and I did like it. While it isn't as strong as her other series, but I'm still hooked. ]]> 2017-09-27 20:17:36 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/191868968 Binti by Nnedi Okorafor czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/192116506 I really like this author, but hadn't read her Binti series yet, even though it got wonderful praise and won awards. I finally checked it out from the library and devoured it! Binti is such an engaging main character.  We totally understand her struggle leaving her homeworld through Okarafor's amazing characterization. ]]> 2017-09-28 15:04:02 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/192116506 Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/199688548 I read this novella over fall break and loved it. It is the sequel to Binti and follows our main character as she travels back to her homeworld. Will her family accept her? Will they accept her new friend, Okwu, and understand how she could forgive and reconcile his murderous past with a peaceful future? How will her father's dessert people change her yet again and help her understand the mysterious artifact that saved her in the first book?]]> 2017-10-23 17:11:14 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/199688548 The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemison czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/199691176 This is the conclusion to a super depressing but amazing series. I totally get why it won the Hugo Award (prestigious sci-fi prize). I loved how the first person narration messed with us readers, as I thought I knew who's perspective it was from and then was totally thrown. The world-building was awesome and the theme of dysfunctional mother-daughter relationships totally hit home. I highly recommend this series to more advanced mature readers. ]]> 2017-10-23 17:16:06 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/199691176 The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/201821654 This was a fun quick read. I love sci-fy and think that this book definitely hit a lot of boxes for weird and imaginative. It follows the inter-species crew of a ship that drills through the fabric of space itself to create ways for ships to travel across solar systems quickly. As a reader, I was drawn to the different characters of this crew and I think the book does a good job of exploring culture clashes. It posed interesting questions for the present and how we treat others who are different than ourselves, as well as a possible future should we learn we are not alone. ]]> 2017-10-30 16:50:21 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/201821654 Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/207463379 I really enjoyed this book. It was full of adventure and I felt like I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I read it in like 2 days. I think that the protagonist hero was really developed and I loved how human and vulnerable the author made him. His interactions and relationships with other characters were dynamic and well written. Great book!]]> 2017-11-15 22:18:11 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/207463379 Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/207463526 This is the first in a scify series that I think I'm going to keep reading. The protagonist was strong and well rounded and I liked how she kicked butt in the story. I'm interested to see if her storyline will be more developed in the next book. ]]> 2017-11-15 22:18:48 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/207463526 Unbound by Jim C. Hines czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/210996429 So I read the earlier books in this series a while ago, so I was trying to remember characters through the first 30-50 pages. That said, once I got sucked into the story, there was just so much action that I couldn't put the book down. Love the idea of magicians who can use books to fight evil. ]]> 2017-11-28 16:27:08 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/210996429 Red Hood's Revenge by Jim C. Hines czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/211000006 I read the first book in this series years ago. His writing is super fun and I think his feminist take on the princesses from fairy tales is really cool. Loved this version of Red Riding Hood- she is an assassin who can change into a wolf due to her red cape that also deflects magic. Pretty rad antagonist. ]]> 2017-11-28 16:31:15 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/211000006 The Black Prism by Brent Weeks czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/211003207 This is my other book club pick and I LOVED IT!!! The concept is fresh and fun. The worldbuilding is great and there are just so many twists and turns. The characters are well developed and complex. I really like the character, Kip, the bastard son of the Prism. He is vulnerable and smart and funny, but also totally awesome in battle scenes! ]]> 2017-11-28 16:35:17 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/211003207 Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/211003720 This was my non-fiction pick for the trimester. I'm trying to avoid binging solely on fantasy and sci-fi, and I really like Gladwell's writing style. I've been meaning to read this book for a while, so it was a nice change of pace for me. I really liked how he connected hockey, to silicon valley, and the world of education (among others) to highlight what extraordinary individuals have in common. ]]> 2017-11-28 16:35:57 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/211003720 The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/211180428 This is one of my book club picks. We haven't read a vampire book in a while and since this one is dystopian, we decided to go for it. While I liked the main character, I didn't really get sucked into the series like I thought I would. ]]> 2017-11-28 21:21:48 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/211180428 Beyond the Empire by KB Wagers czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/220665227 This was the last book in the series, and while the action was still fun, I'm not sure how I felt at the end. I like how there was an opening left for her to go back to her life as a gunrunner and how Wagers didn't try to give her some lame romantic relationship. I like that she was still haunted by the deaths of her bodyguards (including the love of her life). ]]> 2018-01-11 16:36:29 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/220665227 Redshirts by John Scalzi czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/220665350 This book was a really fun read. It took the whole "what is fiction?" question and ran with it. I loved the casual deaths of the Star Trek-esque characters and their search for meaning. It was funny and thought-provoking. ]]> 2018-01-11 16:36:42 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/220665350 The Blinding Knife by Brent Weeks czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/220665803 Still love Kip the best!! The characters in the second book in this series became more developed as the plot got super complicated, but overall, I still felt drawn to Kip over Gavin. ]]> 2018-01-11 16:37:32 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/220665803 The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/220666370 I am not sure if I'm going to read the rest of this series or not. I liked the world-building a lot, but the plot just took a while for me to get into. ]]> 2018-01-11 16:38:26 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/220666370 Sing, Unburried, Sing by Jesmyn Ward czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/220666918 This book made me cry on my way home from work the whole time I was reading it! It is beautifully written and covering very serious and mature content (lynching and racism and drug abuse) in a way that makes you both sick to your stomach and totally empathetic with all of the main characters. The ghosts were woven in so well, and as a reader, I finished the book feeling haunted by their stories. ]]> 2018-01-11 16:39:29 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/220666918 A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness czierenberg https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/222493348 We read this book aloud in my production class and it was a super tough one!! The book is about a boy whose mother is dying of cancer. I think my own personal connections made this novel really hard to read aloud to the class, but it was worth it. The book is great for teaching empathy and to give us a window to the grieving process in teens. ]]> 2018-01-18 16:21:45 UTC https://padlet.com/czierenberg/Booklog/wish/222493348