Kadyn (Book 2)

"Mr. Tucket" by Gary Paulsen

Part of a series featuring the main character Mr. Tucket

A train trip to Oregon, a Kidnapping, what else to get a young reader going?! 

Kaleb (Book 2)

"Dolphin Tale" adapted and written by Gabrielle Reyes

A junior novel based on the hit movie! An injured dolphin (the tail being damaged by a crab trab) has its tail amputated and is nursed back to health using a man-made tail. Crazy true story! You can actually visit the dolphin down in Florida. 

Kaleb on the roll! 

Wild at Heart (Book 10)

"Wild At Heart" by John Eldredge

Timely read for a guy going through guy stuff. I've read multiple reviews on GOODREADS and must admit I could care less if its viewed sexist, religious right, or just plain 50's mentality. The one thing that sticks out in my individual personality is the need to take risk, take chances, and make life more than simply existing, living and breathing, wasting space and time. 

I don't agree 100% with Eldredge, but I rarely agree with ANYONE. He makes a compelling case regardless. 

AND....I could care less really what people think. BOOK 10 completed "Thank You"

Kaleb (Book 1)

"James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl

Kaleb has a few more books coming along, but finished this one the other day at school. He was excited to finally complete it! 

The classic "Giant Peach" book! 

It was awesome to see Kaleb get wrapped up in reading this book and my hope is "wapped up in reading". Isn't that just peachy!? : ) 

The Martian (Book 9)

"The Martian" by Andy Weir

Take "Cast Away" and mix it with "Gravity" and you have the book "The Martian"

Not a bad start for Andy Weir's first novel. Holy Cow I read this in two days! Fast moving thriller that lived up to Amazon's Editor Pick's Top 25. Really? How about Top 10....hands down.

There is no doubt this will be a movie. 

If you love science, space, mixed with a littele sci-fi thriller...this book is for you! Put it in your "to-read" list.

Made a great read for book nine in the reading blitz 2014

No Time For Goodbye (Book 8)

"No Time For Goodbye" by Linwood Barclay

Another Barclay book to fill the time! He's usually a quick thrilling read and this book was no exception. Caught myself browsing the book shelves in Barnes and Noble in Sioux Falls, SD and fill prey to another Barclay book. "Oh well!" 

I had fun with this book as my wife wanted me to narrate to her, so she could enjoy the book too! So, rolling through the South Dakota landscape together we finished "No Time For Goodbye"

If you like suspense, fast-paced action thrillers....I highly suggest Barclay. 

On the Road (Book 7)

"On the Road" by Jack Kerouac

Listed as one of the "Top 100 novels to read before you die" and listed as one of the classic's of our time, I quickly added it to my reading blitz. 

Fairly chewy book with a "much a do about nothing"

It wasn't that I didn't find the book interesting, but there were times where I grew a little bored of all the kid-like, drunken episodes of car stealing and girl gawking. 

It was written as one continous piece and often times the long run on sentences would rule the day...(must have been a Beat Generation thing...coined by Kerouac himself) here is an example.

So in America when the sun goes down and I sit on the old broken-down river pier watching the long, long skies over New Jersey and sense all that raw land that rolls in one unbelievable huge bulge over to the West Coast, and all that road going, all the people dreaming in the immensity of it, and in Iowa I know by now the children must be crying in the land where they let the children cry, and tonight the stars'll be out, and don't you know that God is Pooh Bear? the evening star must be drooping and shedding her sparkler sims on the prairie, which is just before the coming of complete night that blesses the earth, darkens all rivers, cups the peaks and folds the final shore in, and nobody, nobody knows what's going to happen to anybody besides the forlorn rags of growing old, I think of Dean Moriarty, I even think of old Dean Moriarty the father we never found, I think of Dean Moriarty.

Now...that's a sentence! 

The BEES (Book 6)

"THE BEES" by Laline Paull

Watership Down modernized from rabbits into Bee's! Brilliant!

I enjoyed this tale of survival from a perspective of a sanitation worker bee (Flora 717). It made my blitz reading list as a suggestion from the Amazon's Top 25 in 2014. I would suggest it! The book is a light read, especially several chapters in when the action begins to take off! Who would have known that a little bee would captivate me? 

Last Night in Twisted River (Book 5)

Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving

Not my favorite book and way too many political undertones. Again, this isn't a review but just a simple note. 

I chose John Irving for his other books ( The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules) but with Twisted River coming out...I thought I'd get a jump on it. Honestly, the book need only be 300 pages...it was brilliant at times and pathetically slow and boring in other places. Seriously, John, if you didn't have a little Hawkeye blood in you (from attending Iowa) I'd go a little further in putting your endless food thoughts to shame. Believe me...no matter how much Cookie played a role in the book...it was endless. 

Joyland (Book 4)

"Joyland" by Stephen King

Not my favorite of King's work. However, it was a fun, enjoyable, thriller. It really took you back to the old boardwalk amusement park feel (which isn't a total give away hinting the title and setting of the book.)

King seems to be in hyperdrive these days, pimping out books left and right. His books are always imaginative, and if you read enough of them you"ll see some of the same antagonist from other books rear their ugly little heads again. 

Mad River (Book 3)

I've been wanting to read the work of ( Minnesota Native ) John Sanford for a few years, but for one reason or another some other book would catch my eye or I couldn't track down his first book in his famous 'Prey Series' (the series I really want to get into). 

This time I happened to be at a conference in Detroit, and spotted John Sanford's latest book Mad River in the airport book store. I thought to myself "what the heck...it's not part of his Prey series, but I've always wanted to read his work".  I'll be honest, you really can't go wrong with John Sanford. He's a fantastic, edge of your seat, kind of writer and was perfect for getting through a five and half hour flight. 

Though I don't really do reviews on this blog, I can say with certainty that if you are looking for a quick, fast moving read, I suggest Mad River! Especially if you live in South West Minnesota. You might be surprised to see your home town in Sanford's book. 

Blood Oath (book 2)

"Blood Oath" by Christopher Farnsworth

I discovered this book at a local small town "crazy day" special. Basically, a sidewalk sale in front of an older book shop. The title caught my eye, and I was in the mood for a quick, lighter, entertaining read this time around. The book basically centers around vampires and one specifically that has sworn an oath to protect the President of the United States. The Secret Service has never looked so "secretive" as they are portrayed in this book. Vampires and the corrupt Goverment...oh my! 

Kadyn (Book 1)

My oldest son finished his first book in the reading blitz!

How exciting! And his younger brother isn't far behind (I'll be posting his book soon!)

"I survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011" by Lauren Tarshis

Kadyn loves this series of "I survived" books. Scholastic publishing provides this for school age kids and I highly recommend them! They teach and keep the younger reader engaged. 

Also, get your kids involved in reading! I challenged my boys to read as many books in a year and at the end of that year I would pay them a dollar for every book read! Now....I know that no amount of money can be placed on the value and enjoyment of simply reading, but here is what I've observed since challenging my 9 and 11 year old. 

*excitement to read

*a shift in excitement for the book rather than the money.

*they can't wait to read AND they have a hard time putting the books down! 

Yes...I was tricky. Whatever it takes! ; )

The Killer (book 1)

"The Killer" by Tom Wood

I was introduced to this book by a book seller in Fairfield, Minnesota. I asked him if he was aware of any underground, moving, thrillers? He handed me Tom Wood's book. I have to agree that I felt his work was fast moving, mostly brilliant, and quite addictive for the espionage freaks outthere! If you like Robert Ludlum (Jason Bourne Series) you would become an instant fan.

Along other notes I friended Tom Wood via social networking and can say that he comes off as a humble author and appreciates his readers feedback. I would say its worth a read!

Reading Blitz! 9/1/14 - 9/1/15

A few years ago I came across this book "Tolstoy and the Purple Chair" and it inspired me to take on a 365 day reading challenge reading one book/novel a day for a year. Needless to say that I fell enormously short of that goal (60 books read) it STILL was a larger number of books than I had previously read in a year than any other time in my life. In short, it wasn't the number of books that I read, but the renewed love and passion for reading, public libraries, and your standard used book store! I found myself reconnecting to an art that passes generations. Since that time I had established this blog (that I let linger a little too long in digital land...collecting cyber-dust) and have renewed it for another year long adventure in reading! My challenge to you, as a fellow reader, is to join me through this journey 9/1/14 - 9/1/15 and document, journal or blog your reading blitz! I have several books that I will be blogging in the next few days that I already have recently read to jump start the blitz. BUT....even more exciting is that my two boys (ages 9 and 11) have accepted the challenge and will be adding their list to my blog as we venture down this reading blitz together! I hope you join us! Ready set Read!