December books

Wow, reading surely does go in streaks. I'll have stretches with not much going on, and then (maybe because it's a publishing bulge?) I'll find a whole bunch of good ones. I seem to have hit quite a number of excellent books lately! Here's my December list so far, and I still have Christmas books I haven't gotten through, plus all the ones coming in at the library at the moment.

1. The Grimm Legacy, Polly Shulman. I really liked this one! Great worldbuilding and interesting characters and lots to keep your mind hopping. One thing I noticed--it's not good or bad, just interesting--was that the book was a little scant on narration/description/internal monologue. I don't think there can EVER be too much dialogue in a  book! But I do see variations in the level of narration. David Almond's books, for example, are rather spare in that regard. This wasn't quite to that degree, but it was interesting. I don't remember if her other book was like that. So, if too much description or character thought annoys you--or if you would like a break from Teenage Angst Mental Cycle and just want to read about a sane character for once--try this one.
2. Alcatraz versus the Shattered Lens, Brandon Sanderson. LOVE this series. It's metafiction and crazy, but it's got heart, too. The one thing that distresses me is that even though original intentions were to write five books, the publisher describes this is the fourth and final book. Um...it's not. Sure, we find out what happens when they go to Mokia (a continent/country in the Pacific, kind of Polynesian, that you don't know about because Evil Librarians control your maps). But there are so many things left unanswered at the end! So I worry about the status of that last book. Currently reading this to the girls by like, four chapters at a time because it's hard to put down.
3. The Healing Spell, Kimberly Griffiths Little. Lovely middle grade story about love, guilt, alligators, and a mom in a coma, set in the bayou of Louisiana. I read it, then turned right around and read it aloud to my girls, who loved it.
4. Savvy, Ingrid Law (reread). How I love this book! It’s one of my favorite books from my childhood, except that it wasn’t written until I was an adult. It’s a perfect read-aloud.
5. Pegasus, Robin McKinley. This is much more like Original McKinley, which is a lot different than New McKinley, and from what I can tell, people tend to either like one or the other. I'm in the Original camp, so I really liked this. I was able to fall into the world and I liked the characters, and I'm looking forward to reading the next volume (what I presume to be the second half of the book?) when it comes out.
6. Tyger, Tyger, Kersten Hamilton. Really liked this one! I liked how the religious aspects (Irish Catholic) merged with the Celtic magic aspects. I liked how the love interest was actually…interesting, not a copy of the dangerous hot boy (actually, he’s not particularly dangerous, at least not in an Edwardian way). I liked the characters.
7. Percy Jackson: The Titan's Curse, Rick Riordan (reread, to girls). Percy is such an engaging character. I love reading him.
8. Into the Wild, Sarah Beth Durst. Rapunzel’s escaped from the wild, but when her daughter Julie is 12, the wild escapes, and Julie has to go into the wild to rescue her mom and everyone else from an endless replay of fairy tales. A fun MG take on fractured fairy tales.
9. I Shall Wear Midnight, Terry Pratchett. You have to love Tiffany and the Wee Free Men! Every Pratchett book I pick up now, I’m afraid it will be the last, especially with cameo appearances from other characters in other subseries (Carrot/Vimes/Angua). 
10. Matched, Ally Condie. At first I was afraid this would be yet another love triangle book, but that’s just the premise that gets you into this dystopian world where every move the people make is controlled. By the end you care about everyone and really want them to fight back. And I guess there will be other, following novels, as the book ends at the end of that section, but the main problems are still open. Nice job. I would MUCH rather read this than The Hunger Games, as I am not into tons of violence. However, I think that if you did like Hunger Games, chances are good you'll like this one.
11. The Cat, Jutta Richter. If you've read this, I'd be interested in your interpretation. I have a feeling it has Meaning that I'm just not picking up on. I was neither an English or a German major, so I feel a bit lost here, but I have a feeling it's about more than just a girl talking to a cat. Note to self: occasionally refresh your literary knowledge.
12. Mistwood, Leah Cypess. Creative book in a high fantasy world about as shapeshifter bound to protect the king—only what happens when there’s divided loyalty? A nice take on a triangle (not necessarily a love triangle, but definitely a loyalty one) with some unexpected twists that make the ending right. If you liked Elizabeth C. Bunce's Starcrossed, I'd particularly recommend this book to you.