It was a beautiful beach day here in NYC. Full of vim and vigor and borderline manic levels of optimism, I decided to take Josh and his pal Amanda (“the love of his life,” as he informs me) to Coney Island. So we went. We rode the rides, played the arcade games, ate cotton candy (more colors not found in nature but wow, does that sugar make you feel like you can do ANYTHING) and then went down to jump in the waves/play in the sand. All well and good. I even bought a beach umbrella and figured out how to use it after only fifteen minutes of mutterings that made me look like an escapee from the set of “The Sopranos.”
And then I noticed the clouds rolling in. Big, thick, dark, “I’m-a kick your butt” clouds. Whole cloud POSSES pumped and ready for action. Okay, so we’ll get drenched, I thought. No biggie. You know what is a biggie, though? Lightning. Yeah, nothing quite says, “Let’s talk staying in the gene pool” quite like dodging nature’s laser light show while carrying a metal beach umbrella. Whee, big fun. We made it on the F train just as the sky broke open with all the force of a new garage band learning the complete Ramones catalog.
Oh well. Now, of course, it’s beautiful again. Whaddya gonna do? Timing.
I’m compiling my summer reading list. Here’s what I’ve got on my table so far:
The Boyfriend List
Shrimp
how i live now
Godless
Rhymes with Witches
Stained
Funny Little Monkey
Reading Lolita in Tehran (must finish it)
There are tons more, of course, but these are on the top of the pile. I’d like to take a reading vacation where I lounge around in my p.j.’s drinking lemonade, eating chips and salsa and reading nonstop. Sigh. Heaven. What’s on your summer reading list? Any recommendations?
I’ve also started “musing” on book #3. That involves a lot of strange reading of its own. (Knights Templar. Norse and Indian mythology. Icelandic travel brochures. Oh, the usual.) Hard to believe it’s time to dive in again when Rebel Angels isn’t even officially out yet.
Did anyone get to see all of Live 8? I saw some of it but did not get to see some of the acts I would have liked to have seen like Razorlight and The Killers and Richard Ashcroft.
I’m making chicken tacos and bean tacos for dinner tonight. No avocado shall be spared.
Libba Bray 
i love a great and terrible beauty
the book a great and terrible beauty is great. i loved it so much. i was wondering if u made or r going to make a sequil. i think it would be great to see how gemma and kartik end up and to see if circe tyr’s to attack her again. please email me at littlebit54321@sbcglobal.net w/ an answer if u have time. thanks for listening to me.
*anonymous
I love how you write in your journal like an everyday person, not someone that is known the way that you are. It makes me respect and look up to you all the more.
No probs! 🙂
i agree!
i was totally glued to the book!! and i ABSOLUTELY LOVED KARTIK! i really hope him and gemma get together in book 2, it really seemed like gemma had a thing for him. im so excited for rebel angel!!!!!!
I had to read Speak for school. Very good/sad/somewhat deep. I had to do an essay on symbolism, so it may not seem as deep to you.
Hmmm…I don’t really know what is on my summer reading list. Probably a lot. I just find things and then read them. I would offer some books…but I’m not sure what kind of books you like to read. Oh well…I can just give you some suggestions from a few categories…
YA Fantasy- Song of the Lioness Quartet, Immortals Quartet, Protector of the Small Quartet, and Trickster Duo by Tamora Pierce (sorry so many, but they are all sort of related)
Adult Thriller- When the Wind Blows, The Lake House, and The Jester by James Patterson
Books made into Movies- A Walk to Remember, and The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook has a sequel called The Wedding)
Historical YA Fiction- Briar Rose by Jane Yolen (Holocaust in case you’re wondering)
Sad/Happy/Slightly Romanticy/Don’t Know How to Categorize Them Books- Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas, and Sam’s Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson
Hmmm…I probably have a million more suggestions, but I will with hold myself. If anybody at all reads these books, or has read them, let me know what you think/thought of them. If you want to know of any other books in any other genre, just ask. If you might want to read any of these books, i can even offer a brief summary if you like. You can just use my Lj if you want, or you can e-mail me at Horsechick1588@aol.com. Sorry about this whole post, but I am a complete bookworm!
summer readig
Read EVIDENCE by Ilana Jacqueline. Got it from her website at http://www.ilanawrites.com. Cried, laughed, thought of calling the police to see if she was really alright. After all, it is her autobiography. Man, some parents are beyond crazy. This was not your fairy tale book for sure.
Re: summer readig
I read some chapters from that book whn she was writing it on her website. http://www.ilanawrites.com. She finished it? I’m glad! She is one special girl. Libba rocks too!
tottally understand
The other day I was at this huge Christian concert with 4,000+ people, out on a hilly pasture (is hilly a word?) , and after a jumbo sized bag of cotton candy, and several snowcones we found ourselves three feet from the stage jumping up and down screaming and banging our heads at 11 o’clock at night. It was over and hour before I was able to walk straight again(my legs felt like jelly, the ultra squishy cheap kind), and nearly 2 days before my hearing was good enough that everyone stopped sounding like chipmonks, and my voice wasn’t scrachy. And I’m NOT exaggerating ! I loved how i live now , although it’s been while since I’ve read it. I got to see all of Live 8, much to the annoyance of my stepmother when she realized that I’d barricaded myself in my room on cleaning day( and I do mean barricaded, like with my furniture piled against my door ,the volume of my t.v. turned up loud enough that I couldn’t hear anyone, and my phone turned off. Too bad you missed The Killer’s act, it was, well killer. I just wanted to say that while I’ve always been a Harry Potter devotee, I was ten times more excited when your book came out, and loved yours, while the 6th Harry Potter book was just kind of like, oh, great, now I’ve got to read another one.
-Alicia Campbell
Ohmygosh!!
Hi!! I know a good book!!! Its called I am the messenger by Markus Zusak is an awesomely awesome book. Anyway I just read your book Rebel Angels and it was so superly awesome, although I did kinda forget I had read your last book, It took sooo long for the second one to come out…But I dont blame you writing is hard!!! And then all that publishing stuff and editing…takes lots and lots of time!!! Anyway I cant wait until your next book and Im deffintly going to buy it right away…Even if it takes 2 years, because your books are friggin awesome!!! Evil_Butterfly13@hotmail.com
Hammer Time
“We made it on the F train”
“fourteenth street, garbage swirls like a cyclone
three o’clock in the afternoon and I am going home
F train is full of high school students,
so much shouting, so much laughter…”
-Ani Difranco
Summer reading list!?!? Man, summer is over. I lose. Definitely read The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf by Gerald Morris. It is book three in the Squire’s Tales books but I have never read books one and two. You won’t feel lost starting on three, and it’s worth the lostness if you did. But you won’t. You won’t I say!
Perhaps you’ve already read this book though…another good book is Faery Wars, and the author’s name escapes me right now (because, you know, I’m only ON THE INTERNET and could look it up in three seconds…ye-uh laziness).
More Books Amanda Recomends:
1)Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (gotta jump on the bandwagon)
2)Tithe
3)Anything by Terry Pratchet
4)The Princess Bride
5)Escaping Tornado Season by Julie Williams, this is an amazing book that completely blew my mind. If ever a book were beautiful, this would book would be.
6)Time Pieces: The Book Of Times by Virginia Hamilton. Virginia Hamilton is such an incredible writer and this book is twisty and turny until the end when you think to yourself, “ahhhhh…so that is what is going on!! This is awesome!”
I leave you with that.
Re: Hammer Time
Darn you auto-formating…How I hate thee…
Gorillaz rock!
Wow!
Gorillaz rock!
Wow!
I absolutely loved A Great and Terrible Beauty!!!
I’m also a sucker for the more classic times in history.
As for your summer reading list, I have one (well, many). I love to read, unlike many kids my age. I take a book everywhere I go.
Anyway, if you like a nice simple fantasy book, you should read Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke. Also, classics are always a great read. I’m very into classics right now.
I can’t believe you like the Gorillaz!!!
They’re awesome, aren’t they?
By!
Any books to recommend..
I know a few good books written by Juliet Marillier. They are “Daughter of the Forest” “Son of the Shadows” and “Child of Profecy” or the SevenWater Trilogy..lol..But they are very good Books..
~Sabra~
This is quite an old post, however I wanted to say that the book How I Live Now is very good. I really enjoyed it. I hope you’ve read it by now, as it’s almost been a year since this post, and I hope you’ve enjoyed it as well.
Also, I started to read the copy of Lolita borrowed from the local library but had to give up prematurely as my dog decided that she likes to eat borrowed books rather than her dog food. Pity.
Hmmm… Rhymes With Witches is a relly good book. Good choice!
?
Lolita in Tehran is that a good book so far?? You gotta tell me what you think of the Boyfriend list, I almost read it but I was like…..ummm…nah
i love your books!!
The first time i read A Great and Terrible Beauty, i loved it and never wanted to put it down and wen i was finally done i wanted to read it again till i heard that there was a second so i ran out to indigo and demanded it. but it was all sold out but i finally found it and right to this very moment i love it and hope u will make more. gemma is an amazing girl ( although fictional) and i would be way to afraid to do anything even remotely close to wat she has done so, thanks for being such a great writer and writing a second!!! i really like how u have done your site, and i should know, my mom makes websites and knows a lot about it!!!! I ADORE YOUR BOOKS AND I KNOW I NOT THE ONLY ONE SO MAKE MORE!!!! THANKS
Sincerely,
Your BIGGEST fan!!!!!!!! 🙂 😀 i will cry if u don’t make more!!!
I’d recommend War and Peace. No, just messing with you! That is a great book, but I actually want to recommend The Hunter’s Moon by O.R.Melling.
Was the uglies good cuz i’m reading it right now??
hey i LOVED your books are there going to be more?????*gives.puppydog.eyes* pewease!
Book recommendations
“Twilight” By Stephenie Meyer is really good. It isn’t as good as your books though. Sometimes I wonder if the authors that I love to death even bother thinking about me.They’re so important now, you know? You sound cool though. Perhaps too cool for reading geeks like myself. Ah, well. Have a nice day! Your son sounds so cute!
Update more often
I am so excited for the third book to come out! Please update more often!