Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison

Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison Is there a series that you keep looking at on the library shelves, meaning to read, and putting off for fear of committing to a multi-book series? For me, that series is the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson, a hilarious look at daily life in England, through the eyes of 14-year-old Georgia. The novel, begins just as Georgia is getting ready to go back to school, and her diary entries are full of typical teenage worries, boys, friends, make-up, the size of her nose, and the antics of her crazy family (including her cat, Angus, who is part Scottish-wildcat, and likes to attack the poodle next door). And then, a few days before the start of school, she meets Robbie (aka the Sex God).... Rennison has somehow managed to capture that teenage voice perfectly. Georgia's diary reads like it could be any teenage girl's diary, lots of very short entries, random ramblings, and very quick mood changes (with plenty of UK slang thrown in). I wish these books had been around when I was 13 or 14* If you like Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging, check out:

• The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot (also in diary-format, and hilarious)
• The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart (another girl's tale of boys and crazy family members)
• Older readers might also enjoy the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich (speaking of crazy family members...)

Other blog reviews: Book Adorer Blogging for a Good Book *Actually, I just checked the publication date... I was 15 when they were published, but by then, I was reading all that silly adult fiction stuff, for some reason.

edited to add: And there's going to be a movie

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Okay, this review has been sitting in my drafts folder for almost a month -- I just love this book so much that I felt I really needed to do it justice -- but I have other books to review (and to read -- it's like Christmas every day with these Cybils review copies arriving on my doorstep)

I absolutely adored John Green's Looking for Alaska (last year's Printz award winner -- if you haven't read it yet, see here for John Green's photo essay about winning the award-- this actually made me want to read the book), so I was very, very excited when I heard about An Abundance of Katherines.

It definitely did not disappoint. Katherines is a very different novel from Alaska, much more lighthearted and fun (and possibly not quite as deep or profound, but that was okay with me).

It might also help that on the acknowledgement page, Green actually thanks librarians!

Colin Singleton is an 18-year-old child prodigy who speaks many languages and has a talent for anagramming. He has been dumped 19 times by girls named Katherine (not Catherine or Kathryn). After K-19 dumps him, he and Hassan (his slighty pudgy, Judge-Judy-obsessed best friend) set out on a road trip. They end up in a small town in Tennessee, where they meet Lindsey Lee Wells (who, incidently, is dating a boy named Colin). Colin, in a flash of inspiration, comes up with the idea to create a formula that can predict the outcome of any relationship. (Note to readers -- knowledge or understanding of math is not at all required in order to enjoy the book).

I could say a lot more -- but basically -- read it -- I promise you'll laugh!

Also... read "The Approximate Cost of Loving Caroline" -- Green's short story in the collection Twice Told -- I was reading this story while hanging out with my boyfriend (who was reading some epic fantasy novel, as usual), and I kept annoying him by interrupting and reading lines from the story -- it was just that awesome.

I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

A couple months ago, I was looking around in Borders, and I happened upon The Book Thief on a display. The cover intrigued me (and I sort of have this thing for books about books), so I went to work, and immediately put it on hold. Once I read it, I was absolutely convinced that Markus Zusak was a genius, and had to start reading all of his other novels.


[Okay, and while this post was supposed to be about I am the Messenger and not about The Book Thief -- I have to take this moment to point out that the Quills award committee had to be completely insane to choose Eldest instead.] (Thank you to Big A little a for alerting me to this travesty!)


But back on topic -- I am the Messenger is one of those incredibly good books that is really hard to describe. Basic premise is -- Ed Kennedy, an underage cab driver, helps stop a bank robbery, and he begins to receive playing cards in the mail with messages on them -- messages that lead him to help other people, and ultimately to help out his best friends.


I'm not sure it was quite as good as The Book Thief (but hey, if that means that Zusak is improving -- that's great!), but it was very, very, very good, and now I'm going to have to read everything else that Zusak has written. (darn list of books to read just keeps getting longer).