Long time no post here at Need To Read. Mostly because I’ve been reading Harry Potter. I just finished the whole series, I think it took me about two months, and I really enjoyed the time. I still am dreaming about being magical myself, even though I finished several days ago (I always dream I’m a witch when I read HP and then I’m disappointed when I wake up and I’m not).

In between HP #4 & #5, I read Meg Cabot’s ALLIE FINKLE’S RULE FOR GIRLS – MOVING DAY (I think this picture is for the sequel, but I’m too lazy to go find the right one). It’s MG, and I loved it. I thought it was traditional Cabot in the style, tense, and humour, but very much for MG readers, which is not always an easy thing to do. Meg Cabot is a real pro at keeping her audience in mind when she writes, whether it’s tweens, teens, or adults. I was impressed all the way around and I am looking forward to the sequel (and when I read it, I’ll post the cover to this one instead).

I also read an ARC that my editor sent me (can I just tell you how much I love saying “my editor”?) called MOUSE NOSES ON TOAST. It is a chapter book and quite frankly, I don’t really read chapter books very often (or at all), but this was really fun. I had mentioned that I loved the title and she included it in my welcome package of books she sent me. I passed it on to my 7 year old neice and I bet she’ll love it.

I then started reading a book that I really, really wanted to like, but after 88 pages I finally gave myself permission to give up. It was a bit of a mystery (not like a mystery-mystery, but like one of those things where something happens in the prologue that is supposed to intrigue you to the point where you have to find out what’s going on) and yet I still didn’t care. This author, who shall remain nameless, has several books out. One I’ve read and loved, one I read and was a bit indifferent to, and then this one…EVERYONE loves this author’s books though, so that’s why I gave it more than 50 pages. Alas…it goes on the “lost interest” card.

Lastly, and I think this really should have its own post, but I don’t feel like doing two, I read MEMORIES OF A TEENAGE AMNESIAC by Gabrielle Zevin. This was the most fantastic book. I fully expect it to be on the Fave Fifteen of ’08. I loved her other book ELSEWHERE and so even though this was due at the library yesterday, I decided to just pay the fine and give it a quick read. By page one I was totally hooked. Zevin not only writes about unusual topics/premises, but she is just a brilliant, beautiful, poetic, and very funny writer. She writes in ways I can only dream of writing. When I read her books, I’m overwhelmed by a mixture of feelings – admiration, envy, a sense of how lucky I am to read her writing, envy, sheer elegance of the prose, did I mention envy? It’s kind of like watching Judi Dench act. On one hand I love it and it fills me up with such beauty and on the other I feel like, “Well, I might as well never act again when Judi’s out there and can act like that!”

So…definitely add this to your reading list, and if you haven’t read ELSEWHERE, get that too!

I’ll leave you with this one question…If you could have one power (or be able to do one spell or charm) from Harry Potter,  what would it be?

I would definitely choose the ability to disapparate.