Where I've been

Where on earth has Madame Bookworm been? Well, I've been on hiatus. Some BIG personal changes have been happening in my life, and blogging has had to take the backseat. I apologize for that. As of right now, I'd love to continue this blog, but I'm going to wait until I have the time/energy to fully devote to making it great.

Until then, happy reading!

RIP Bill Wallace

Favorite children's author, Bill Wallace passed away yesterday. Wallace was famous was a former teacher and has had 29 children's books published. These include titles like: Snot Stew, A Dog Called Kitty, Beauty, and The Christmas Spurs. 


Several years ago when I was student teaching, Wallace came to visit my school. I had the pleasure of meeting he and his wife during the luncheon. I can honestly say that he was just as funny and kind in real life as his books portrayed him to be. 


After the visit, my class closed out our letter-writing unit by sending letters to Bill Wallace. We were so thrilled when we received a response back. It wasn't just a form letter, like you would receive from most celebrities. He had taken the time to personally respond to several of the students' questions. 


My favorite part, though, was the fact that he had written a letter personally to me. He was so encouraging and heartfelt. One of his biggest pieces of advice to me was that if I wanted to write, just write. He had received a drawer full of rejection letters before anyone took a chance on him. I'll never forget his kindness, his humor, or the wise words he took the time to deliver specifically to me. 


Rest in peace, Mr. Wallace.   

All The Lovely Bad Ones

All The Lovely Bad Ones

   by Mary Downing Hahn

   192 pages

   My rating: C+

   Source: Purchased

A creepy Vermont inn. A brother an sister with a propensity for making trouble. A group of unruly young spirits. Can Travis and Corey solve the mystery of the Lovely Bad Ones before the inn goes under and they get sent back home and are forced to go to summer school? 

This was a quick, fun MG ghost story. It was spooky, but not overdone. I can see MG readers loving the chilling descriptions of a few characters. This got really high reviews and was even on the Sequoyah Masterlist at one time. I don't think it is a life-changing novel by any means, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

Explosive Eighteen

Explosive Eighteen 

   by Janet Evanovich

   305 pages

   My rating: B-

   Source: Library 

In the latest installment of the Stephanie Plum novels, we find Stephanie returning from Hawaii with a tan line on her ring finger and two very upset men in her life. On top of that, someone keeps sabotaging her cousin Vinnie and her arch rival, Joyce Barnhardt, has gone missing. She may even be dead. Stephanie has to unravel the nonsense in her love life while still trying to make a living from catching skips. How many cars will she lose in this book? 

I can't help it. I know they aren't great literary fiction, but I can't get enough Stephanie Plum. I can usually nail down the plot before I even crack the cover, but I can't seem to stay away. I liked the latest book, but I really would have loved to see some more steamy action between Stephanie and her two favorite "maybe" men in her life. 

Packing for Mars

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void

   by Mary Roach 

   334 pages

   My rating:  B+

   Source: Purchased

Mary Roach is a non-fiction master. She takes details that have the possibility of being quite mundane and weaves them into what almost seems like a narrative work. I believe this is Roach's 5th non-fiction book, and once again, she doesn't disappoint.

Packing for Mars is all about the trials and tribulations that the space program has encountered through the years: everything from taste-testing food in a tube to the perils of urinating in space. Who knew Nasa's dirty little secrets could be so humorous? 

If you're at all a space-junkie like me, grab this and you won't be let down. Seriously, how does one get a job like this? Sign me up!

The Name of The Star

The Name of The Star

   by Maureen Johnson

   372 pages

   My rating: A

   Source: Purchased (e-book)

Rory Deveaux finds her self plucked from Louisiana and stuck right into a boarding school in London. Just as she thinks she might get used to the cute English boys and the rainy weather, her fate becomes intertwined with a mysterious happening. Someone seems to be re-creating the Jack the Ripper murders of the late 1800s, and Rory's school is right in the thick of the action.

I actually read this back in December, right after it came out. Last year when I met Maureen Johnson and she was telling about this new project of hers, I was instantly intrigued. Boarding school in London AND Jack the Ripper? I'm in. 

Again, I can't say enough how much I love Maureen Johnson's voice. Her characters are so relatable and realistic, even in this paranormal thriller. I was instantly a fan of Rory and her friends. This isn't just another boarding school novel. It was sufficiently scary enough without being grotesque or shocking. I cannot wait for #2 to come out!

Reading Challenge

You know that post where I said that I wasn't sure I would hop onto any reading challenges this year? Well, I guess I lied. I blame it on Goodreads. If they hadn't created the shiny new 2012 Reading Challenge buttons and widget, I may not have caved. 

I have no self control. At least now you can keep up with how many books I've read and yell at me if I start slacking, right?

Did you join?